A Casper woman and popular cashier at the westside Walmart continues to recover from burns in a Denver Hospital following a house fire early Friday morning that claimed her family’s possessions and pets.
Charity King, her husband and son were able to escape the fire with just the clothes on their backs.
“Their house is a total loss, and Charity is still in Denver being treated for second- and third-degree burns,” said Andrea Farmer, the store lead at the Walmart on CY Avenue where King works. “I don’t know what her recovery time looks like.”
Casper firefighters responded to King’s home, which is also located off CY Avenue, early Friday morning. A Facebook post from firefighters shows extensive damage to parts of the home.
“Units on scene found heavy fire at the front door. All three occupants were already outside of the building,” the fire department reported on Facebook. “The fire was quickly knocked down, and the building was searched for any additional victims. Three occupants were transported for smoke inhalation and possible burns.”
A call to the department was not immediately returned.
Farmer said the family lost everything as well as some pets. All were initially taken to the hospital and King’s husband was released yesterday. Their son was apparently not injured, she said.
Farmer said she spoke with King’s husband in person, and he had suffered some burns and smoke inhalation, but was not in as bad a condition as his wife. She said the family does not have a lot but has shown great compassion to others in the past.
‘People Person’
King, who works the morning to mid-afternoon shift, is someone Farmer characterizes as kind, caring, passionate for her family, her animals, and her customers.
“She is a people person. We are constantly having customers stop us and tell us how great she is,” Farmer said. “You can go on (Walmart’s website) and you can leave a review, and she’s gotten reviews on there just saying how wonderful (she is).”
Farmer said she spoke with King by phone and learned about her second- and third-degree burns on her back and shoulder area. King hopes to leave the hospital soon, but there is no timeline.
The westside Walmart store lead started a GoFundMe account for the family because Farmer said they are in definite need. She does not know anything about their health insurance status. Walmart has some means of support but it “won’t be enough,” Farmer said.
The King family’s home is uninhabitable, and any donations will go toward housing, clothing, food and medical expenses, she said.
Farmer characterized her cashier and friend as “in good spirits” when she spoke with her over the phone at the hospital.
She recalled an incident last year that characterizes the family’s big hearts.
“Last year we had a cashier who was a single mom and struggling up here and who just wanted to make it home to her family,” Farmer said. “Charity and her husband loaded up their truck and trailer and they drove her stuff clear across the country to help this girl get to her family. They’re good people.”
Dale Killingbeck can be reached at dale@cowboystatedaily.com.
