A fire in the 16000 Block of South Calhoun Highway completely destroyed the home of Steven Babich and Dolly Starke. Mr. Babich has retired but Ms. Starke currently teaches at Calhoun Middle High School.
Ms. Starke said she awoke to the smell of smoke and started calling for Mr. Babich to get out of the home. She attempted to call for their two cats but couldn’t locate them before they had to get themselves out. She told Ridgeview News that the first story of the house burnt quickly and they narrowly escaped as she stood on the sidewalk barefoot with temps in the mid sixties. This was her second time dealing with the loss of a home due to fire, as it happened when she was a child.
Both the Arnoldsburg and Upper West Fork Fire Departments were dispatched by Calhoun Control. Trooper J.D. Richards and Minnie Hamilton Health Systems were both on scene as well.
Fire Fighters were still on scene fighting the fire until the early morning hours.
The couple made some very light hearted remarks about their losses as their home burned before them; but the loss of many prize possessions and their cats, and the reality of how quickly the loss came but their lives were spared, will no doubt set in.
Ridgeview News is profoundly sorry for loss of the home of Mr. Babic and Ms. Starke.
