Gorin Home Destroyed by Fire, Four Left Homeless
A firefighter with the Gorin Volunteer Fire Department pauses inside the burned-out remains of a home in Gorin, Mo., on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025. The fire displaced four adults and two dogs just two weeks before Christmas. Photo by Echo Menges
By Echo Menges
GORIN, Mo. – Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025 – A home in Gorin was destroyed by fire early Thursday morning, leaving four people and two pet dogs displaced just two weeks before Christmas. The family lost all of their possessions in the fire.
The charred interior of a home in Gorin, Mo., shows the aftermath of a Thursday morning fire that left the structure a total loss. Firefighters used more than 10,000 gallons of water to extinguish the blaze. Photo by Echo Menges
Volunteer firefighters from the Gorin and Rutledge volunteer fire departments and the Scotland County Ambulance District were dispatched to the fire at approximately 7:44 a.m., arriving to find the home fully engulfed in flames, according to Gorin VFD Fire Chief Kenneth Hoover.
When firefighters arrived, flames were visible from windows on the south and west sides of the house, which is located at 25789 Santa Fe St., neighboring the Tague Steel & Iron business.
A home at 25789 Santa Fe St. in Gorin, Mo., stands gutted by fire on Dec. 11, 2025. The early morning blaze displaced four residents. Photo by Echo Menges
Roughly 20 firefighters worked to extinguish the flames through the early morning hours, using six firetrucks and tanker trucks. Firefighters used more than 10,000 gallons of water to extinguish the fire. The structure was a total loss.
A firefighter sprays down hot spots inside a burned Gorin, Mo., home on Dec. 11, 2025. A wood-burning stove may have contributed to the fire, officials said. Photo by Echo Menges
Firefighters from the Gorin Volunteer Fire Department work near a water supply setup after a house fire response in Gorin, Mo., on Dec. 11, 2025. About 20 firefighters from the Gorin and Rutledge fire departments battled the blaze. Photo by Echo Menges
It is unknown exactly how the fire started. A wood-burning stove inside the residence could have been a contributing factor, according to Hoover.
Because the home was not insured by property owner Carroll Dean Peterson, nor the renters occupying the property, the Missouri fire marshal’s office will not be called to investigate the cause of the fire. The house has been owned by Peterson’s family for generations.
One of four occupants of the residence, Marlin Weir, 51, was home at the time of the fire and was not injured in the blaze. The three other adult residents — Riva Weir, 58; Michael McClain, 37; and Jessica Rhodes, 35 — were not home at the time of the fire. Two family dogs were accounted for, alive and unharmed by the fire.
The Red Cross has been called to help with the displaced family’s immediate needs, and the Mayor of Gorin has set up a GoFundMe account to accept monetary donations for the displaced family.
Donations are also being accepted at Gorin City Hall, including clothing, toiletries and monetary donations. Items may be dropped off Mondays and Tuesdays from 6 to 8 p.m., and Wednesdays and Thursdays from 5 to 8 p.m. Gorin City Hall is located at 26977 W. Broadway St. in Gorin.
The family’s clothing sizes are listed below:
Women’s shirts and sweatpants: 3XL
Women’s shirts: XL; leggings: M–L
Men’s shirts and sweatpants: XL
Men’s shirts and sweatpants: 3XL–4XL
GoFundMe donation link: https://gofund.me/8cb0dd7ad
