Fire Rips Through Cheyenne Duplex, Causes $474K in Damage

Investigators are trying to determine what sparked a duplex fire in south central Cheyenne late Friday afternoon that caused an estimated $474,000 in damage.

Cheyenne Fire Rescue says crews were called to the 400 block of Cribbon Avenue at 5:13 p.m. after a fire started in the small backyard area and spread to the interior of both homes.

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"Crews were able to extinguish the exterior fire and work hose lines inside both homes to extinguish the rest," CFR said in a Friday Facebook post. "The fire was declared under control at 5:27 p.m."

CFR says both homes were occupied at the time of the fire, but the occupants were able to get out safely.

"Two cats were reunited with their owners and another cat remains unaccounted for," CFR said in a release Tuesday morning.

GoFundMe Set Up for Cheyenne Family Who Lost Home in Fire

Matthew Ichiyasu, who lived in one half of the duplex with his wife Marla and 3-year-old daughter Asha, has created a GoFundMe asking the community to help his family rebuild their home and replace everything they lost.

"Our local firefighters and paramedics responded very quickly and did an amazing job with a terrible situation. They are a credit to our local community and we cannot put into words how much we appreciate their swift action. But as you can image, the damage was severe," Ichiyasu wrote on GoFundMe.

"Between the fire, water, and smoke damage, we have lost a considerable portion of everything we own," Ichiyasu added. "I was originally optimistic about what could be salvaged, but I didn't understand just how bad smoke damage could be."

Ichiyasu says his family has a place to stay and food in their bellies, and thanks to the kindness of many people, Asha has clothing and a few stuffed animals again, but it takes a lot of resources to rebuild.

"We know just how tight money is for everyone right now. Believe me we do," he said. "But if you are able to help us out even a little, we would be eternally grateful."

If you'd like to donate to Ichiyasu's GoFundMe, you can click here.