Oregon, USA. – As fires ravage the West Coast, a boy and his dog were killed huddled in a car, where they sought flame safety. Wyatt Tofte, 13, died Tuesday in the wildfires in Marion County, Oregon, along with his 71-year-old grandmother, Peggy Mosso, told CNN by a family spokesman.
Stay informed about what matters most to you
Get the most relevant news of the day in your e-mail
Thank you for subscribing!
Check your inbox to confirm your email and start getting the latest news
Take advantage and take the next step
Get our news alerts so you don’t miss anything
Receive notifications
Not bad! You’ve subscribed to notifications
Set up and choose your preferences
Set up notifications
Enter your e-mail
Subscribe
Subscribing involves accepting the terms and conditions
Not bad! You’ve subscribed to notifications
Set up and choose your preferences
Mosso was found dead in a car that caught fire, while her daughter and Wyatt Tofte’s mother, Angela, were nearby to try to save her. Angela survived but is in critical condition.
Wyatt Tofte and his grandmother, when the news went down locally. Twitter
Her husband and Tofte’s father, Chris, also survived. “Our family is devastated by the loss of our kind 13-year-old Wyatt and his beloved grandmother Peggy at the Santiam Fire in the early morning of September 8,” a family statement said.” After a long search for Wyatt, he was found in a car with his dog on his lap, but unfortunately, he could not escape the fire. Angie is in critical condition with burns all over her body,” the statement says.
The fires have left millions in damage and several fatalities. Afp
We want to thank all the emergency staff and people who helped in the search. Our family appreciates the love and support we have received from all of us during this terrible tragedy.
The Salem Statesman Journal reported on Chris Tofte’s search for his wife, son and mother-in-law as the fire burned around him. On Tuesday, he found his wife with severe burns, walking down the road home when he returned with a borrowed trailer to retrieve his belongings. At first he didn’t recognize her, he told the paper, and told him he was looking for his wife and son.” I’m your wife,” Angela replied, according to the Statesman Journal. Wyatt Tofte was found in a different car, and the family assumes he ran and got in the car thinking he would be protected from the surrounding flames, the family spokesman said.
“Wyatt, simply the sweetest child; He loved to fish, play video games, like many children, just a very sweet and educated guy,” said Susan Vaslev, the family spokeswoman. At least four people were killed by fires in the states of Oregon and Washington. And forest fires in California have killed at least 20 people since mid-August.
