By Louis Hoglund
A dozen people are temporarily homeless, following a July 31 fire at an apartment complex in northeast Perham.
Among those forced out of the six-unit building is the 85-year-old landlord, Esther Witzke, who lived in one of the units.
"Those apartment units were like a home...there was nothing skimpy about them," said Witzke proudly, She was being comforted by tenants and family members as dozens of firefighters from Perham, Dent and New York Mills worked to extinguish the fire.
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Witzke and her late husband built the six-plex and a neighboring four--plex in about 1982
Despite being midway in her eighth decade, Esther kept busy cleaning, vacuuming and maintaining the two complexes.
Grandson Jason Witzke, who held Esther's hand while seated at a nearby picnic table, helped has grandmother with lawn-mowing and exterior maintenance. Esther's son Clifford, a former lumberman who provided materials for the well-kept complex, was also on hand as they helplessly watched firefighters cut gaping holes in the roof in order to douse the flames.
It was not a roaring blaze. Rather, the fire started upstairs and began smoldering earlier in the afternoon, July 31. Using extinguishers, firefighters thought they had stopped it, said tenant Renee Sonnenberg. She was the tenant who phoned 911 when she smelled smoke earlier in the afternoon.
She returned to her apartment from work after 5 p.m. and a Perham firefighter knocked at her door. The building was evacuated, as the fire had rekindled, said Sonnenberg.
Four of the six units are probably a complete loss, though many belongings may be salvageable. It was uncertain whether there was a major impact on two of the uni--including Esther's apartment--though they sustained at least some smoke and water damage.
The Red Cross was phoned and representatives were expected on the scene that evening to help the uprooted tenants. Local real estate broker and apartment owner Jen Hanson offered temporary homes in two of the vacant units in her buildings.
We will re-build--if I live long enough," said Esther Witzke.
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"You'll be here to see the new building," said one of Esther's tenants, Crystal Terveer. "Just stay calm, and you'll be fine."
