Local woman thanks firefighters for salvaging husband’s ashes from house fire

A woman whose home burned in a Rancho Mirage country club Tuesday is reuniting with the firefighters who saved one of her most cherished possessions, her husband’s ashes.

“Thank you. Thank you. You’re so brave. Thank you, thank you so much.”

Betty Lague thanked each of the firefighters who helped save some of her most precious belongings from a fire that spread to her home.

Lague was out of town when her Rancho Mirage home in the Springs country club went up in flames, burning nearly all her belongings. The fire started in the home next door and resulted in a total of $3 million in damage. What firefighters managed to save is priceless.

“They saved this and my husbands ashes,” said Lague as she pointed at a veterans memorial flag displayed at her husbands funeral. Lague’s husband of 62 years died three months ago.His ashes, along with the flag and wedding album were in a smoke-filled room.

Firefighters say the home was about 40 percent engulfed in flames when they discovered the items.

“I mean they saved so many things that meant so much to me. And how they knew to take those, I don’t know. Clothes can be replaced and things like that,” Lague said.

Captain Fernando Hererra with Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire says the firefighters who salvaged the items didn’t want to be interviewed on camera, but are happy the items are back in Lague’s possession and not damaged.

“It’s an everyday job that we do. We don’t consider ourselves heroes,” Hererra said. “I’m sure the crew appreciates the time and effort she took to come out here and thank them.”

Lague’s home is a total loss and she doesn’t plan on returning to The Springs. She’ll be moving in with one of her daughters and plans on keeping in touch with the firefighters who saved her most precious belongings.