Couple left homeless

By Catherine Amos

Published: April 11, 2008

Six fire crews helped extinguish flames engulfing a home on Reva Road Friday afternoon. It took firefighters about 30 minutes to control the blaze, which began around 12:20 p.m.

Culpeper Co. 1 Chief Stacy Carpenter said they received a call from a neighbor driving by who saw the fire.

Carpenter said they could not yet determine what started the fire, which quickly swallowed the small yellow house about a mile and a half down Reva Road off U.S. 29 southbound. There did not appear to be anyone home, although there were cars in the driveway.

The fire is the second in as many days in the general area. Ashley Franklin and her 11-month-old son, Roman Sims, were displaced from their home in Rochelle, Madison County, after a Thursday afternoon fire.

Culpeper, Salem, Reva, Brandy Station, Madison and Rappahannock fire crews responded to the scene. Neighbor Clay Szlosek said residents Kenneth and Carla Ejze had lived in the house for about 10 years.

Szlosek said he saw firefighters pulling out some of the Ejzes’ many pets from the home.

“I saw all the cars were stopping down (on the road) and I looked up and saw flames shooting out,” Szlosek said. “It really went up fast.”

The home’s fire alarm was still audible above the multiple trucks’ engines as firefighters worked to control the blaze.

Culpeper Board of Supervisors member Tom Underwood, who represents the Salem district and lives down the street, stood nearby watching the fire.

“It’s a constituent that has a challenge, obviously,” Underwood said.

State Police and Sheriff’s Office investigators were still at the scene when Carpenter left, he said Friday night, adding that he was unsure if the Ejzes have any children or if anyone had contacted the Red Cross on their behalf.

Catherine Amos can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 138 or .
Night news editor Kevin Olmstead contributed to this report.