Write a commentThe Webster family was in the middle of their daily routine at their home in Country Haven Mobile Home Park on Tuesday afternoon, April 14, when their lives changed forever.
“I wasn’t feeling well, so I was resting on the couch after work,” Desiree Burge Webster told iHeart Oswego. “One of my daughters was playing a game, while the other was napping in her room. Then, suddenly, I smelled smoke.” At first, Desiree told the team, she thought one of the kids had burned popcorn, and so didn’t immediately take it seriously when the fire alarm began to beep.
Outside, her 16-year-old son Zavior was hanging with his friend Cartar and planning a fishing trip for later that evening; the family was planning to head to their favorite fishing spot in Fulton once their father Randy got home from work. Zavior heard the family’s fire alarm beeping and headed inside.
“He shook me awake and then grabbed my older daughter. He carried her to the side door and handed her to his friend,” Webster told us, her voice thick with emotion. Mobile homes catch fire extremely quickly, so his actions saved their lives. “While Cartar was carrying her across the street to safety, Zavior went back in and pulled his other sister out.”
Neighbor Rodney VanHorn was also on the scene that night and spoke to the teenager’s quick thinking. “Nobody told him to, but he snuck back into the [burning trailer] for the car keys and moved it across the street—probably saved it from exploding.” VanHorn and a group of other neighbors lifted Randy’s motorcycle and carried it across the street. “We tried to save the boat too, but we were too late,” he added. While the boat luckily did not explode, fire damage has likely rendered it unusable.
If not for the speedy responses of Zavior and the neighbors, the fire likely would have been much worse. The flames nearly reached the neighboring trailer’s propane tanks as it was. VanHorn pointed out where the grass was singed and dead, only inches away from the tanks.
“The fire department got there just in time to douse that,” Randy Webster noted.
Despite multiple attempts by both Desiree and Zavior, the family’s dog Peanut and all but one of their other pets perished in the fire. “I opened the door to the girls’ room, because Peanut tends to hide under the bunk beds… but I couldn’t see anything. It was like that movie, Inferno, with smoke everywhere.” After this attempt, her son tried one more time to find the dog. “Then, Zavior grabbed me and said, ‘Mom, if you don’t get out, you’re gonna die…’” She paused to collect herself. “He really took charge, got all of us out, got help… I really want to celebrate that.”
According to New York State’s Department of State website, fires can give families as little as two minutes to escape—and mobile homes tend to burn faster than other types of homes. The State Department recommends installing smoke alarms and testing them once a month to ensure timely alerts during an emergency.
Another recommendation is to have and practice an escape plan, including two exits from every room and an outdoor meeting place in case of a fire.
Luckily for the Webster family, they followed this advice. Making their safety plan a part of their routine ensured that their son was able to mobilize the family and act, rather than freeze, in the face of emergency.
“We’ve had scares before,” said Randy Webster, mentioning fires that Country Haven has had within the park in the past. “Last year, I pulled and replaced wiring that had been chewed on by rats.”
“But we know [the rats] are still there,” Desiree added. “The cats catch them all the time; we also catch them in traps and lay out poison.” The family mentioned that multiple factors have contributed to the rat infestation in the park: “Some people can’t be bothered to pick up after themselves,” Desiree said. Park tenants have also had ongoing difficulties with access to trash pickup after dumpsters were removed by management last spring. Two dumpsters were re-installed in March of 2026, though some residents say they are not enough for the park, which consists of approximately 100 occupied mobile homes.
The cause of the fire has yet to be determined according to the Webster family. As of press time, iHeart Oswego had not been able to reach the Hannibal Fire Department for comment.
Despite being prepared and all having gotten out alive, the family is still reeling from having lost all of their belongings, as well as mourning the loss of their dog, Peanut, four cats, two guinea pigs, a chameleon, a bearded dragon, and a snake. One cat was not in the home at the time of the fire and is currently staying with a neighbor.
Prior to Tuesday’s fire, the family had been saving for a down payment on a house—both Desiree and Randy are working at Amazon. Now, those plans are up in the air. Despite owning the trailer, the trailer was denied for home owner’s insurance due to the age of the home; therefore, the family is facing many out-of-pocket costs. They escaped without even having time to put on their shoes.
The Webster family all expressed their gratitude for community efforts to step up and help them. “I just am so floored by the love and support. I always tell the kids to be kind and give back to others you never know when that could be is and here we are,” Desiree said. The family is in temporary accommodations with neighbors in Country Haven Mobile Home Park and there is an active GoFundMe hosted by Randy’s sister Barbara to help raise money for new housing. To support the family, you can find their GoFundMe online.
