A fire destroyed a home a few miles north of Silverton, displacing its owner amid the coronavirus outbreak.

San Juan County Sheriff Bruce Conrad said emergency personnel were dispatched to the home about 5 miles up County Road 110 around 5:30 p.m. March 27.

By the time emergency responders arrived, the house was fully engulfed. Firefighters turned their attention to keeping the fire from spreading into the surrounding forest, Conrad said.

“We had to just watch it burn,” he said.

The home was destroyed. Two pets are assumed to be lost in the blaze. And the homeowner, Jane Legge, one of the only residents who live year-round in the remote parts of San Juan County outside Silverton, is staying at a local hotel.

Conrad said investigators believe the fire started in the kitchen, but the cause has not yet been determined.

A GoFundMe campaign started to help Legge had raised about $9,000 as of Wednesday.

jromeo@durangoherald.com