Repairs, rebuilding to start after 117 Fire in Hanover

Three homeowners reflected on their experiences ignoring evacuation, saving their property and helping others during and after the 117 Fire in the Hanover area of southern El Paso County.
Eryn Maggard, Douglas McDaniels and Collin Kellett spoke with KRDO NewsChannel 13 on Friday, with the wildfire being 100 percent contained and reduced to just a few hot spots.

A home across the road from Maggard was destroyed, and she said she and her husband–despite a mandatory evacuation order from authorities–stayed to care for their animals.

“We lost our tractor and several outbuildings for them,” she said. “It’ll cost us between $5,000 and $10,000 to rebuild, but our house is OK.”

Down the road from Maggard, McDaniels also decided to remain on his property despite being disabled and on crutches.

“I was out here for several hours,” he said. “I lifted five-gallon barrels of water from my rainwater tank and poured them on hot spots. I had to. If my two buildings had caught fire, I would have lost everything.”

Except for a pile of wooden poles he was planning to use to build a barn, McDaniels said he had no damage to repair.

Kellett, along with a friend who lost his home in the fire, said they saved Kellett’s home and six others.

“They asked me to evacuate but I wasn’t leaving my home that I just moved into a few months ago,” he said.

Thankful to still have a home, Kellett now plans to help other fire victims.“Most of the community’s fence lines are destroyed,” he said. “I heard that 4-H is putting together a fence rebuild. I’ll be helping out with that. I’m a carpenter.”

A community breakfast Saturday morning at 8:30 a.m. at Hanover High School will give the community time to gather and reflect on their turbulent week.