Safety Harbor family left with nothing after devastating house fire
SAFETY HARBOR, Fla. - A family in Safety Harbor is beginning the new year with nearly nothing after their home caught fire early Sunday morning. The family dog woke up the homeowner's 17-year-old son, who got out safely.
Now, the community is rallying around the family to help.
Photo courtesy: Safety Harbor Fire Department
It hadn't even been 24 hours since the fire started when donations started pouring in of clothes, blankets and gift cards all coming from complete strangers.
"Everything that was my life. My personal things. They're gone," homeowner Nicole Evans said. "Elementary, junior high, high school yearbooks and my notes from my kids and friends and high school and stuff and things irreplaceable."
Evans was on a New Year's trip in Colorado when she said she got a frantic call from her 17-year-old son early Sunday morning who told her their dog, Macho, had woken him and that the back of the house was on fire. Neighbors rushed to his side as Evans watched on FaceTime.
Safety Harbor Fire Department said the fire was contained to the second floor and that everyone, including Evans' son, their dog and cat, all made it out safely with no injuries.
Evans said the community immediately sprang into action to help.
"I've rallied with this community for others, but it's so different when people are rallying for you. You don't understand until you're the benefactor of kindness that you never could even imagine would be bestowed on you," Evans said.
Photo courtesy: Safety Harbor Fire Department
Just around the corner friends at the American Legion Post 238 set up make-shift donation drop-off spot for the family collecting clothes, blankets and gift cards to help.
"I hadn't even gotten in the door and people were already in the parking lot with stuff so it was really amazing," Shawnee Fox with the American Legion Post 238 said.
While the fire was contained to the second floor, the first floor still sustained significant smoke and water damage and will likely have to be completely re-built.
For now, Evans said she's just thankful everyone is safe and says she's still overwhelmed by all the support.
"They've taken this tragedy and made it okay in ways for us every day, like every little moment of every day, something somebody does just makes it go, Oh, wow, like, we can do this," Evans said.
Evans said she and her son are staying with friend as they figure out their next steps. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.