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Lyon Mountain dad mourns son lost in fire

Chris Smithers is seen before he suffered burns in a fire at this Lyon Mountain house. His son Codi, who lived with him, died in the fire. (Photo provided)

LYON MOUNTAIN — “Flames were climbing up the wall; all you could see was a black cloud and then an orange flame.”

This is the scene Chris Smithers says he keeps playing over in his head, ever since his son, Codi, died in the fire that badly damaged their rental home at 6 Second Street here early Sunday morning.

Chris said he and Codi had been spending father-son time together that evening.

“We were watching some TV and playing ‘Black Ops’ on Xbox,” he said.

Around midnight, Codi told his father he was going upstairs to bed.

Codi Smithers (Photo provided)

“I stayed downstairs to watch a little TV and relax,” Chris said.

No one heard

A little before 2 a.m., a loud commotion suddenly work Chris up.

“I heard a big bang, like something was going on upstairs,” he said.

He took a minute to focus and figure out what was going on.

“I ran upstairs,” he said. “There were orange flames and thick black smoke; I really couldn’t see what was going on.”

Chris said he ran back downstairs to grab his phone and a bucket of water. However, the fire had spread, making it impossible to get near his son’s bedroom.

“I couldn’t make it up the stairs the second time and finally made it outside.”

Out of the house and frantic, Chris yelled for help.

“It took me forever to dial 911; I was in such pain,” he said. “I screamed ‘Help, help’; no one heard me.”

In upstairs bedroom

Lyon Mountain Volunteer Fire Department and EMS were dispatched, as were departments from Dannemora and Saranac. Additional resources from Ellenburg Center, Chateaugay, Cadyville and South Plattsburgh were also called.

State Police said earlier that Codi was found deceased in an upstairs bedroom.

With the fatality confirmed, county fire investigators coordinated with State Police Troop B Bureau of Criminal Investigation and the State Office of Fire Prevention and Control.

Heartbroken

For Chris, there are many unanswered questions.

“Nobody’s been able to tell me what started the fire yet,” he said.

Wednesday, Clinton County Emergency Services Director Eric Day said the cause of the blaze remained under investigation.

“The Office of Fire Prevention and Control will issue a report; however it could be several weeks,” he said.

Meanwhile, Chris is left heartbroken and lost after the sudden and unexpected death of his son.

“I’m dying inside; my son is not even half my age, and he passed away.”

Codi was a good man, he said, one who liked to keep to himself but was always willing to stick up for the underdog.

“He was the type of guy who wouldn’t let anybody bully the little guy.”

Chris said he and his son were a team; Codi often referred to him as “Paw.”

“I can say there is nothing bad anyone can say about Codi,” he said.

Recovering from burns

Chris, who suffered smoke inhalation and burns to his upper body while trying to rescue Codi from the fire on Sunday, was discharged Wednesday from the intensive care unit at University of Vermont Medical Center in Burlington Wednesday.

He has no family locally and is staying at the Best Western in Plattsburgh while he recovers.

No funeral arrangements for Codi had been made as of Wednesday.

Editor Suzanne Moore contributed to this report.

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