Residents come to aid of firefighter who loses home, grandfather to fire

A GoFundMe account set up for Cape Girardeau firefighter Tyler Grovenor and his family has raised $2,950 of a $4,000 goal as of Thursday afternoon after he was rendered homeless by a fire that also killed his grandfather.

The account was set up by one of Grovenor's friends in St. Louis County.

Grovenor said the account is just one example of the support from the community. Many people have left food, toiletries and other items at his mother's house, where he is staying for now.

"I'm truly humbled by the outpouring of support," Grovenor said. "I tried to thank everybody in a Facebook post and had to edit it five times because I kept forgetting people. From the bottom of my heart, I can't thank everybody enough."

Grovenor was one of the firefighters who responded to a fire Nov. 16 at his home at 389 Country Club Drive where his grandfather, Zeno Blattel, 73, died, most likely from smoke inhalation and suffocation, Grovenor said.

Zeno Blattel

"My grandfather was my best friend; he was my hero," Grovenor said. "We were the pride and joy in each other's eyes."

Grovenor had moved in with his grandfather in the fall 2014 to help take care of his grandmother, Joann Sam Blattel. She died of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, in September 2014, and Grovenor was there to help his grandfather cope with the loss.

"The role I had when I moved in was to be the rock for the family, which was what he always did," Grovenor said. "He stayed strong for us."

When the call came to the fire department Nov. 16, Grovenor said he did not hear the full address. It wasn't until he slid down the pole he knew it was his house. He drove the ladder truck to the site.

"I don't think I've driven a firetruck as fast," he said.

Grovenor said the Cape Girardeau Fire Department has trained for scenarios when firefighters' emotions may be compromised but must follow their training as best as possible. When he arrived at the house, the smoke already was substantial, and he knew from experience if his grandfather was not out of the house, he most likely was dead. He didn't want to believe it, but he knew. Grovenor saw his brother Todd's vehicle was gone, and he hoped Blattel had left with him.

Grovenor's first response was to run to the basement door and kick it in to retrieve his dogs he knew were in the basement. Grovenor was not wearing an air mask but went in against a fellow firefighter's wishes and he recovered Rosko, an 8-year-old boxer, and Sammy, a 5-year-old Lab-pointer mix in two trips. The dogs appeared lifeless but received oxygen at the scene and since have recovered, Grovenor said.

"For the most part, I kept my composure," Grovenor said. "I knew the guys were trying to stop me from going in."

At that point, Todd Grovenor pulled up to the house and asked repeatedly, "Where's Grandpa?"

"I don't know, bud," Grovenor responded. "Try to stay out of the way."

Grovenor advised his captain to place a ladder at Blattel's window on the second floor, break it, allow the room to vent and check the room. Blattel wasn't there. Grovenor believes Blattel was alerted by a smoke detector and was hit with a cloud of smoke when he opened the bedroom door. Blattel apparently made his way downstairs and was found collapsed about a foot away from the sliding glass door to the outside.

Grovenor did not know any of this at the time, and he went to the front door. At that point, one his best friends tackled him to keep him from entering, because Grovenor was not wearing an air mask.

In a matter of minutes, one firefighter had fallen through the floor of the house and another was injured, suffering a concussion.

The firefighter who dropped through the floor was surprised he fell only a couple of feet and landed on something in the basement.

"You can thank Grandpa for all the stuff he stored downstairs," Grovenor told the firefighter later. "He didn't believe in throwing anything out."

At one point, Grovenor made his way to backyard and saw his fellow firefighters take out Blattel.

"It confirmed what I already knew," Grovenor said. "I lost it for a second."

Firefighter Brad Martin said the reaction among the other firefighters when they found Blattel also was one of sadness in support of their colleague.

"It was a little hard for a couple of us, because we were trying to put ourselves in his position," Martin said.

Cape Girardeau fire chief Rick Ennis came over and told Grovenor he was done.

"I'm still good; I can help," Grovenor said, trying to hold back tears.

"Take care of your family," Ennis replied.

Most of Grovenor's family had arrived, and he assumed the role his grandfather always had demonstrated.

"I told them I was sorry," Grovenor said.

He knows now he did everything he could at the time. Still, he considers it surreal that he's a firefighter and his grandfather died in a fire. He believes if he was there when the fire started, which the fire department said began with an electrical problem in the basement, he would have gotten his grandfather out of the home or contained the fire.

"I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy," Grovenor said of the experience.

Blattel's funeral was Nov. 19, and Grovenor described it as a wonderful tribute to his grandfather.

"I never would have dreamed how many people would show up," he said. "It's been positively overwhelming."

Grovenor said he misses his grandfather and his witty quotes. He misses Blattel's life lessons, but he said he knows what Blattel would tell him in this moment.

"'Bud, I'm proud of you. Don't worry about anything,'" Grovenor said. "'We've never given up, and we've never given in, and we'll fight this, and we'll be all right in the end.'"

Grovenor is on leave with the fire department but he plans to be back less than a month after the fire, as soon as he can get a new residence squared away.

"This incident will not dictate my life," Grovenor said. "We will rebuild and repair. I will be a better man and a better firefighter."

Martin understands why Grovenor wants to be back at work so quickly.

"I know somebody is going to be there for each of us," Martin said. "It's a big support network here. I want him to take as much time as he needs, but if I was in the same situation, I would feel the same way."

bkleine@semissourian.com

(573) 388-3644

Pertinent address: 389 Country Club Drive, Cape Girardeau, Mo.

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How to help

The link to donate to firefighter Tyler Grovenor: gofundme.com/9hasbp98