DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) — Last week's severe weather left thousands across central Illinois without power. Now, one Decatur family is picking up the pieces after their home caught fire shortly after electricity was restored.
A family of five faces a long recovery after flames tore through their Decatur home. They told WAND News severe weather knocked out their power for hours, and shortly after electricity returned, a fire left their house unrecognizable.
Just a week ago, this house gave them comfort. Father of three, Lamont Sanford, said he is grateful they were not home when the fire started. After hours without power, the family left to get food.
"Basically, on the way back, we got calls saying, 'Your house is on fire. Your house is on fire,'" Sanford said.
When they returned, thick smoke met them at the door. Flames that started in the kitchen caused heavy damage. Sanford said smoke damage forced them to tear out drywall and rebuild the inside from scratch.
"Devastated. No insurance. The first thing I thought of was coming out of pocket to fix the house. Just basically, you know, getting the house back to a home," Sanford said.
Austin Yutzy was driving nearby and saw the home on fire.
Others in the community are stepping up to help.
"It's just doing what humans should naturally be doing for each other. It's about caring about your neighbor. It's about caring about the stranger. And that's all there is to it," Yutzy said.
Mother Capreice Walker declined an interview as she fought back tears. Both parents said they are trying to stay strong for their children.
"We got to smile through the storm. So, you know, you got to keep a smile on your face. You got to keep going," Sanford said.
Decatur Fire Chief Neil Elder said investigators are still working to determine how the fire started. He urges homeowners to shut off their breaker boxes during power outages to reduce the risk of fire-related incidents.
A GoFundMe page for the family is online.Â
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