Two months later, the scars are still visible — a house in ruins and a family displaced.

Charles “Charlie” and Cherie Burger, believe their home at 1064 Road 9 (Wyo. Highway 295) a mile south of Powell, is a total loss from smoke damage. Fire from inside their attached garage poured putrid black smoke into the house about 1:45 p.m. on the afternoon of Sunday, Oct. 29.

“My husband almost died,” Cherie said. “If it had happened at night, I think we all would have. I think it was divine intervention.”

Reflecting back, Charlie went to investigate the smoke streaming from the attached garage. He doesn’t remember anything after that. He apparently blacked out from smoke inhalation.

“I walked into the black smoke. Mentally that screwed me up. One breath of that black smoke, and I should not have been able to walk out of that garage,” the 82-year-old said.

Cherie recalls, “I’m out there with the firemen and policemen. I’m praying out loud. ‘Save my husband.’”

“Next thing you know, he (Charlie) is outside walking around. The only thing that makes sense to me is the angels carried him into the fresh air,” said Cherie. “It really happened.”

Daughter Channiel Hine, who lived with her parents, got out of the house and moved some vehicles away from the burning garage.

“She has very bad asthma,” her mother said. “She can’t come into the house” where the smoke has marinated everything.

In the garage, two cars with gasoline in the tanks exploded. Two boxes of ammunition also exploded.

The fire is out, but the hard work goes on.

The first stop was at Walmart to purchase replacement items of clothing and personal necessities.

The Burgers spent a month in a motel and have since moved into longer term rental housing.

It could be a long time before the house is rehabilitated for occupancy. Walls must be taken down and rebuilt with new insulation and sheet-rock.

“We’ll have to replace everything — two vehicles and virtually an entire household,” said Cherie.

“We do have insurance, but it’s been a rather painful process. Dave Blevins and State Farm have been extraordinarily good to work with,” she said.

But until the insurance settlement is made the family must pay for everything up front. They’re probably out of pocket about $50,000 already.

Cherie said “a kind lady,” Donna Doornbos of Powell, who has been through a home fire loss herself, has been helping to guide the process of preparing a complete insurance claim.

“We had to replace our computer so we can compile lists for the insurance company of all our belongings that were lost,” Cherie noted.

Charlie and Cherie are members of the Streams of Life Church in Cody. 

In all of the ordeal, Charlie did find reason to be thankful.

“The biggest thing is no one was injured.”