Sedona, AZ – June 10, 2008 – Jude Belanger, Glenn Scarpelli and their dog, Schnebly are shaken but in good health after an early afternoon electrical fire destroyed their home on Mountain Shadows Drive in West Sedona. Two men who were also in the home when the blaze started escaped unharmed.

Mr. Belanger was treated and released at the scene by Sedona Fire District emergency crews for minor smoke inhalation.

The fire started in an upstairs spare bedroom at about 12:30 p.m., shortly after Mr. Belanger and Mr. Scarpelli returned home from a trip.

“If only we hadn’t unpacked the car,” Mr. Belanger said, lamenting the clothes and other personal effects lost in the fire.

Mr. Belanger is not sure what caused the fire, but he suspects it may have been the wiring in the lamps or the wall outlets near a bed in the room. Mr. Belanger and Mr. Scarpelli had recently installed solar electric in the home. The Sedona Fire District is investigating.

Mr. Belanger was stunned because he thought he was prepared, having several fire extinguishers in the home.

“It was like 30 seconds. It went so fast,” Mr. Belanger said. He tried to fight the fire with an extinguisher but as soon as he discharged it, “all of a sudden this wall of black just hit me. I was lost and I ran out. I couldn’t even go back in to get the car keys.”

“God, all our sculptures; all our artwork … ,” Mr. Belanger said. Luckily, he had taken pictures for insurance purposes.

Mr. Belanger and Mr. Scarpelli were planning to take a trip out of the country in about three weeks. “Can we get new passports in time?” Mr. Belanger asked, stating they did save their identification.

Sedona Now Network studio lost, expected to be online tomorrow

The home was a total loss, including the Sedona Now Network studio, a local visitor entertainment television station that also broadcasts statewide once a month on KTVK Channel 3TV in Phoenix.

Despite significant personal loss, their immediate concern was that Sedona Now clients know that everything will be okay. Anyone who wishes to contact Mr. Belanger and Mr. Scarpelli should send a message to email@sedonanow.com, Mr. Belanger said.

The men began taking precautions after the Brins Fire of July 2006, which shook the whole city by being the largest wildfire in recent history to threaten homes and businesses.

“The Brins Fire trained us. We made sure we backed everything up in hard drives. And then every month we back everything up onto DVDs, which I take to a safe deposit box,” Mr. Belanger said.

They were able to save their hard drives, which contain hundreds of clients’ files and video projects, including a “Cool Sedona” campaign Sedona Now had recently filmed for the Sedona Lodging Council Mr. Belanger said.

The rest, such as contact information and email archives exist online. “It’s a good thing Sedona Now lives in cyber world,” he said.

“The bottom line is we are going to get on the air by tomorrow,” said Mr. Scarpelli. “We can work with NPG Cable; we have the resources.” The pair expects to draw on their friends and colleagues for help.

Mr. Scarpelli said a significant amount of business equipment was lost, including computers, a laptop, and various video equipment.

“We were loading our van and were on our way to a shoot so we were able to save some of our equipment,” Mr. Belanger said.

Sedona Fire District crews save nearby homes

The Belanger/Scarpelli house, built in 1963, was made of Douglas fir, Mr. Belanger said. The home was completely involved in fire when SFD crews arrived, according to Fire Marshal Will Loesche.

Nearby homes were threatened by flames from the house and some ground fire, but SFD crews successfully contained the blaze, Mr. Loesche said.

“It was an opportunity to use the brand-new ladder truck for the first time,” Mr. Loesche said. The district acquired the truck a few months ago. It is housed at Station 1 in West Sedona, which was the first station dispatched to the fire. “It played a vital part in keeping the fire to the house of origin,” he said.

On a first-alarm assignment, SFD will send two engines, a ladder truck and a battalion chief. Then a call can upgrade to another engine, an ambulance, and a water tender. At the next level additional personnel may be called in and crews are moved to cover stations. If an incident escalates, as this fire did, the process begins again with a second alarm.

About 25 fire fighters battled the wind and heat, occasionally breaking to recharge breathing apparatus, drink fluids and soak their heads in the excess water flow between hose sections.

One firefighter was transported to Sedona Medical Center. Mr. Loesche could not immediately confirm witness statements that the firefighter was electrocuted when the solar electricity did not disengage, even though power was cut off to the house.

© 2008 Cyndy Hardy. This article may not be reproduced, republished or distributed without written permission from the author. Contact the author at cyndyhardy@msn.com.

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