Third fire in eight months leaves Entiat couple seeking fresh start

ENTIAT — For the third time in eight months, fire has upended the lives of longtime Entiat residents and business owners Norman and Marie Stenberg.

A June 13 fire destroyed the office of Stormin' Towing and severely damaged the couple's adjacent trailer home, prompting family members to launch a fundraiser to help them recover from a string of devastating losses.

According to information provided through the fundraising effort, the early morning blaze burned the towing company's office to the ground. The fire also damaged the Stenbergs' single-wide trailer home, along with Marie Stenberg's garden and a toy hauler trailer on the property.

Organizers say the June 13 fire was the third destructive fire to affect the property in the past eight months.

Norman's stepdaughter, Jessie Keating, has organized a GoFundMe campaign to help the couple recover from the latest fire.

According to Keating, the Stenbergs are senior citizens living on limited means and do not have insurance coverage for their personal property. She said the family's single-wide trailer, which had already sustained damage in an earlier fire, is no longer habitable following the June 13 blaze.

Keating said proceeds from the fundraiser will be used to demolish the damaged trailer, remove fire debris from the property and prepare the site for replacement housing.

The fundraiser describes the latest fire as another major setback for a couple still trying to recover from the previous two incidents. Friends and family hope community support will help the Stenbergs rebuild and secure safe housing in the months ahead.

Those wishing to contribute can do so through the GoFundMe campaign, "Help Marie and Norman Start Fresh After Three Fires" at https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-marie-and-norman-start-fresh-after-three-fires.

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media