Sat, Jul 05 2008
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Published May 13, 2008 07:49 pm - Brenda Zelaya’s chin trembled Tuesday afternoon, her eyes burning from tears and soot as she carefully stepped out of her burned house trailer and into the bright sunshine. UP IN FLAMES Immigrant family loses home in fire By MARGIE TRAX PAGE - Staff Writer - mtrax@starbeacon.com Star Beacon GENEVA TOWNSHIP — Brenda Zelaya’s chin trembled Tuesday afternoon, her eyes burning from tears and soot as she carefully stepped out of her burned house trailer and into the bright sunshine.
Suffering from brain cancer, Brenda, 12, and her mother, Benita Zelaya, were sleeping when smoke filled their trailer at the Geneva Mobile Home Park at 7 a.m. Still groggy with sleep, the women ran to a neighbor’s house for help. “There was nothing they could do,” brother Dennis Zelaya, 18, said. “It all just happened so fast.” The trailer was fully involved in fire when Geneva firefighters arrived. The blaze took exactly 30 minutes to bring under control, Capt. Randy Goff said. Mutual aid was provided by Saybrook and Harpersfield township fire departments. The cause of the fire is undetermined, though Goff said it may have originated in the electrical system. No one was injured at the scene, but family members took father Denny Zelaya to UH-Geneva Medical Center Tuesday afternoon for symptoms of smoke inhalation, his son said. The family, from Honduras, has struggled in recent years since Brenda was diagnosed with brain cancer, Dennis Zelaya said. “Now everything is gone,” Dennis Zelaya said. “And we don’t know what will happen now.” Though Goff estimates the damage to be $12,000 to the structure and $20,000 for the contents, the Zelayas don’t have homeowners insurance. The family will stay with friends, and the American Red Cross is providing temporary help, Dennis Zelaya said. Benita Zelaya said her family worked hard for what they had and were making sacrifices so she could stay home with Brenda as she went through her cancer treatments. Benita Zelaya stood in her backyard Tuesday, wringing her hands over her loss and trying to come up with a plan for her family. “Right now, we have nothing. Our clothes, our things, are all gone,” she said. “I am brokenhearted because we worked hard for what we have. Now, we must start over.” The Zelaya Family Fire Fund has been established to help the family. Donations can be made at any KeyBank branch. Clothing, furniture, grocery store and gasoline gift cards can be donated by calling (440) 812-6367 or (440) 466-7204. Brenda and the men wear XL clothing, Benita wears XXL and daughter Nydia, 15, wears a size medium.n The Zelaya Family Fire Fund has been established to help the family. Donations can be made at any KeyBank branch. Clothing, furniture, grocery store and gasoline gift cards can be donated by calling (440) 812-6367 or (440) 466-7204. Brenda and the men wear XL clothing, Benita wears XXL and daughter Nydia, 15, wears a size medium. 
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