ALLENPORT, Pa. — Two piles of clothes and three Star Wars collectible plates are all John Huff said he has left.
“That’s everything I have left on this planet,” he said. “The first three that my mother ever bought me. I had about 30, and they’re really scorched but at least they survived.”
Flames tore through his house along Route 88 in Allenport in Washington County the night before Thanksgiving.
>> Fire destroys 1 home, badly damages another in Washington County
“I can’t think of a worse time,” Huff said. “My car was totaled because it was in the alley next to it. It melted. The tires exploded.”
The fire then spread to his sister and brother-in-law’s home next door badly damaging the roof and attic.
“My sister’s cat was saved,” said Huff. “Somebody gave us a cat carrier. My father’s urns were saved by the firemen up there.”
Huff’s grateful no one was hurt. He was at his sister’s house moments beforehand when a stranger driving by told them to get out.
“Twenty minutes later, some stranger that just stopped was beating on her door saying the house was on fire,” Huff said. “To whoever this person was and the person that gave the boots, thank you so much. Standing outside in the rain that night was very cold. Thank you.”
The Stockdale Fire Chief said the fire started in the kitchen. He believes it was accidental.
Huff’s home is a total loss and needs to be torn down. His sister and brother-in-law’s house was left with a gaping hole and water damage so the couple can’t live there until it’s fixed.
But neither home had insurance. The family set up a GoFundMe to help them rebuild.
“I work as a waiter with a tip job,” said Huff.
For now, the three of them are staying with their mother and stepdad in a two-bedroom house in White Hall.
“It’s actually a bedroom and office and there’s now five adults living here,” Huff said. “We’ve just been sleeping on air mattresses. One is in the dining room. One is in the other bedroom, and I sleep on the couch.”
It may be a bit crammed and a tragic start to the holiday season, but Huff is thankful.
“My mother is the best person in the world,” he said. “She’s always looked out and tried to help.”
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
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