Twin Cities lawyer says family home in California narrowly avoided destruction by fire
MINNEAPOLIS — The Altadena, California fire is hitting close to home for a Minneapolis man.
Zaylore Stout is an attorney in the Twin Cities, but he also has a law office in Altadena, where he grew up and his family still lives.
"We've had wildfires in that area in Altadena before, but nothing to this extent," said Stout.
When the Altadena fire began it was on the other side of town from where Stout's family lives. But that quickly changed.
"With the 90 to 100 mile-an-hour winds, it just pretty much took out the whole town," he said.
His family's bank and grocery store were destroyed, and then the fire went through the neighborhood where Stout grew up.
"They live on a little dirt road where there are only eight houses on that little dirt road," he said.
His parents were in South Carolina when the fire came through, but the neighbors had to be evacuated. Stout's family had already contacted the insurance company because they thought their home would be destroyed. Then, they got unexpected news.
"They found that our house is still there and a neighbor across the way is still there, but all the other six are absolutely gone," said Stout.
He said what's amazing is that the fire got all the way to his parents' fence line, and even patio umbrellas were destroyed, but just feet away his family's home wasn't touched. It's left him feeling both relieved and sad, knowing that some neighbors lost things that can never be replaced.
"There are people who have wedding photos that they now don't have access to. Ashes of family members that have passed away," said Stout. "We know everybody who has lived there forever and the new folks who have come in. So, it's devastating to know that they've lost everything."
Stout believes it will be weeks before power is restored to his family's neighborhood.
He's hoping friends who live nearby ultimately rebuild.
