COLUMBUS, Ohio — A home in rural Pataskala will likely be a total loss after a fire Tuesday night. This fire comes two months after tornadoes tore through the same neighborhood in February.
Fire crews from West Licking Joint Fire District responded, having to haul water in to fight the fire. The homeowners told 10TV the fire started from a propane grill on their back deck.
Jeff DeBard, a neighbor two houses down, rushed to the home to see what he could do.
“I ran down around the back to make sure there was nobody still in the house still. They did get out and got their dogs out,” he said.
No one was hurt. The family’s dogs and a cat were rescued from the fire. However, they are still looking for one cat that they haven’t seen since before the fire broke out.
DeBard said Tuesday night’s scene was a chaotic one.
“Fireworks were going off, he had fireworks in the garage. There was a car in the garage, it blew up. There was a propane tank in the back that blew up, one almost got me when I went around the back. It was crazy,” DeBard said.
The family who lived in the home was preparing for a new baby. A new nursery had been set up in the second-floor bedroom, but all those items are now destroyed.
Neighbors say they plan to try to do something for the family to replace a few of the baby items as the mother is due this week.
The family was still working on repairing the home from damages left by the February tornadoes.
The Red Cross assisted the family Tuesday night and they are currently staying with relatives.