ALAMOSA – A “Burnout Fund” has been established by the Alamosa Firefighters Association following the loss of a home in a late Tuesday night fire about 11 miles southwest of town. 

A mother and her autistic teenage son are homeless because of the blaze that claimed much of their personal belongings and made the home unhabitable. They were not injured. 

Incident Commander Zach Cerny, a captain with the Alamosa Fire Department, said both AFD and the Carmel Fire District were summoned to the scene at 11356 County Road 100 about 11:45 p.m. Tuesday. He said the fire was started by a small electrical heater in the older, single-wide manufactured home that had some additions to it, causing extensive smoke and some water damage. 

Cerny said the home was not insured and would probably be too costly to repair. 

Both AFD and Carmel responded with three apparatus each and a combined 19 firefighters were on scene for about two hours. 

Alamosa Fire Chief Bill Stone announced establishment of the “Burnout Fund” on Thursday with the intent of being able to assist these and future fire victims. The fund would offer hotel vouchers and possibly pre-loaded credit cards to allow victims to have temporary shelter and replace lost personal items. 

Donations may be taken to San Luis Valley Federal Bank for the Alamosa Firefighters Association with a memo indicating the “Burnout Fund.” Contributions may also be sent to the AFD at 425 Fourth St., Alamosa.