The Burlington Hawk Eye reports a southeast Iowa man whose wife died earlier this month lost his home in a fire on Christmas Eve.
According to the Burlington Hawk Eye, Robert Tripp’s house in Keokuk went up in flames on the morning of December 24th and was destroyed. His wife, Patricia, died on December 2. Patricia Tripp was a faithful bell ringer for the Salvation Army in Keokuk and her husband often dressed up as Santa for the charity.
Robert Tripp was not home when the blaze broke out, but his sister-in-law and her two nieces were there. They got out safely. Investigators believe faulty electrical wiring caused the fire. Tripp is now staying in a hotel and the Salvation Army is picking up the bill.