Propane Explosion, Fire Destroys Worley Home

WORLEY, Idaho — A Worley couple lost everything Friday afternoon, as a fire destroyed their house and took away eight years of memories. 

It started with an explosion.  Soon, fire spread from a propane tank to the entire house.

“Two hundred fifty gallon propane tank,” says Kurt Urbat, whose home was destroyed by the fire.  “It was venting and somehow caught fire.”

The home was where Urbat and his wife quietly lived their lives. 

“Our house burned down,” Urbat says.  “We basically lost everything we have.”

Except themselves.

“I praise the Lord that nothing happened to my wife,” he says.

At 1:30 p.m., Urbat’s wife was working on a new house just a few yards away when she heard an explosion.  It sounded like a plane crash.  The flames quickly spread to the house.

“My wife and I are both firefighters,” Urbat said.  “She called the fire department and they got up here right away.”

But the house was gone.

“Probably tomorrow or the next day, when I reach for something and it’s not there, that’s when it’s kind of going to hit home that it’s all gone,” says Urbat.

Now, the solar panels and the memories are all that’s left.  The Urbats are hoping for some help, as they had no insurance.