By Karen Martin

Staff reporter

kamartin@elkintribune.com

Something looked strange.

“It was somewhere in the neighborhood of 6:45 p.m. when I walked into my bathroom and noticed an orange glow on the mini-blind,”said Bob Prescott, Roten’s neighbor. “At first I thought the sun was shining on the window and then I remembered, it was raining. I reached to open the mini-blind and saw flames shooting out the second story window of Stewart’s house. Just as I turned to go call 911, I heard the fire trucks coming.”

Friday, Elizabeth Roten and a friend spent the day playing at home and in her room. Then, she and her friend changed locations going to the friends house for a sleep-over. After the girl’s were safely away from the Roten home, and her parents, Stewart and Teresa Roten along with son Nathan were at the grandparents house, fire broke out in Elizabeth’s room.

The Elkin Fire department responded quickly to a caller, whose identity was not known Friday night, reporting the fire on Church St. The flames were quickly extinguished, but the interior of the bedroom was completely destroyed.

“The firemen just took me into the house and my son’s bedroom wall was not penetrated,” Stewart Roten said. “He has a fish tank against the wall that joins his sister’s room and although covered in soot, the tank was cool to the touch and the fish seemed to be okay. There seems to be a lot of smoke and water damage, but the fire seemed to be contained in Elizabeth’s bedroom.”

Elkin’s Fire Chief, Tommy Wheeler, reported to The Tribune that the damage to the home was estimated at $75,000 dollars, with the majority of the damage being caused by smoke and water.

Teresa Roten stood shivering with son Nathan as the Elkin firefighters worked to eliminate any hot spots left in the bedroom. The firemen shoveled out the contents of the room to the ground below and when live embers were pitched, other firefighters worked quickly to wet them down, preventing the possibility of further flames.

“Other than getting a call that something has happened to one of your children, this kind of call is the worst call you can get.”

“Teresa went through similar to this as a child and it’s doubly hard on her,” Stewart Roten said. “Luckily, no one was hurt and our three dogs all got out and are safe. Our 12-year-old son, Alex, was with his brother in Dobson, Nathan was with us and Elizabeth was at a friend’s house.”

Friday, Elizabeth Roten and a friend spent the day playing at home and in her room. Then she and her friend changed locations, going to the friend’s house for a sleepover. After the girls were safely away from the Roten home and her parents, and Stewart and Teresa Roten, along with Nathan, were at the grandparents house, fire broke out in Elizabeth’s room.

“Tommy, (Elkin’s fire chief) said the fire seemed to start in one central location, but he didn’t know the cause yet,” Stewart Roten said as he stood with his family, neighbors and fellow Elkin school board members Friday afternoon, while the fire was being attended to.

Roten and his wife Teresa had renovated the home over the years and were planning on adding a new roof. The stone home was constructed in the early 1900’s and had at one time been apartments.

The Roten’s plan to stay with family while their home is repaired.