Family home and Douglas County landmark destroyed in fire
An early morning fire in west Lawrence destroyed a two-story home that was once the Kanwaka Township school building.
Gayle Cox says he went to the home's first floor around 3:30 am. When he went back up to his room he noticed smoke. "I went downstairs, found the fire extinguisher, and went back up," he said. "When I opened the door, maybe oxygen or something, it just engulfed me, and burned my hair and mustache."
After failing to put out the fire Gayle grabbed his father and their dog pickles and ran outside, where all he could do was watch as the home he grew up went up in flames.