Family Loses Home, Business In Fire

SPOKANE — As the fire dies down and the damage is being assessed, homeowners are trying to find some normalcy following the Valley View Fire. While some returned to work for one family that’s not an option.

The Kroetch family lived in their home for 20 years.

“It was a really great place,” their daughter Tori Beal said. “I want to cry over it.”

Thursday night everything changed. Teri’s mother Pat was at home with pneumonia and her father Greg was suffering from a debilitating disease. Pat left the house to go see Greg at the hospital when it happened.

“She was here, on her way to the hospital to see dad. She saw smoke but she didn’t think it was very close,” Teri said.

While Pat was gone, the family’s home was reduced to ash.

“I thought I was going to lose it. I cried a lot. I felt physically ill,” Teri said.

The Kroetch family owns a Spokane Valley restaurant – Percy’s Café Americana – and run a catering business out of their home. Unfortunately all of their important information about their catering business was lost in the fire.

Teri says the loss may not have completely set in and that her parents are trying to remain positive about what happened.

“No people were hurt. It’s okay. It’s really okay, it’s alright. Dad’s already sick, this just adds a lot more stress,” Teri said.

The Kroetch family says if you had catering plans with them to please contact them as almost all of their business information was lost in the fire.