Albany County couple still homeless nearly a year after chimney fire
A chimney fire near Laramie left Sandy and Jack Crawford out of their house, and State Farm payments are running dry as repairs still need months.
A chimney fire near Laramie left Sandy and Jack Crawford out of their house, and more than a year later they are still bouncing between temporary shelter and uncertainty. The couple says the blaze, which started about 8:30 p.m. on Feb. 27, 2025, turned a home into an unlivable shell and a routine insurance claim into a prolonged housing crisis.
Jack Crawford said the fire began when he warned Sandy that the house was filling with smoke and they needed to call 911. Firefighters got there quickly and battled the blaze for hours, but the damage was severe enough that the Crawfords have not been able to move back. They say they lost most of their possessions in the fire and have spent the months since trying to keep up with repairs, bills and whatever temporary housing they could manage.
The Crawfords first lived in a fifth-wheel camper trailer, then moved into a hotel room in Laramie after Jack underwent double hip replacement surgery and could no longer climb the steps into the camper. They say State Farm has been sending living-expenses payments, but that money is now running low. The insurer also made an offer they say falls far short of the cost of repairing the home and replacing what they lost.
A contractor told Jack the house still needs about four to five more months of work before it will be livable again. That estimate underscores how a fire in a rural county can keep a family displaced long after the emergency crews leave. The Crawfords’ case also shows how repair delays and claim handling can turn a property loss into a months-long fight over shelter, transportation and basic stability.
The fire response carried its own costs. During the Feb. 28, 2025, response, a massive stone chimney chase collapsed on Laramie firefighter Dylan Schilt, leaving him at least temporarily paralyzed. Another firefighter suffered a severe knee injury. The Laramie Fire Department responds to all emergencies in the city and to fire calls in Albany County Fire District #1, which covers just over half of Albany County. The county spans about 4,200 square miles, a reminder of how quickly a fire-related emergency can stretch local resources.
Homeowners facing a stalled claim can bring complaints to the Wyoming Department of Insurance if they believe a claim was improperly denied or delayed. The department says it can investigate those complaints, but it cannot act as a legal representative, determine the amount of a loss or force an insurer to pay. For families like the Crawfords, that means the paperwork and the clock can matter almost as much as the fire itself.
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