Neighbors step up to help South Oakland family who lost everything in house fire

PITTSBURGH — Neighbors are stepping up to help a South Oakland family forced out of their home by a fire over the weekend.

The tight-knit community watched in horror as flames tore through the decades-old home Sunday morning. Just about everything inside was destroyed.

PHOTOS: South Oakland home seriously damaged in fire

“Everybody’s outside at this point,” said Mike Sun, a neighbor. “We’re all calling the cops. Ambulances are here, and it was very scary.”

Investigators said chemicals like paint thinner, which the homeowner used to renovate the house on Dawson Street, fueled the fire.

Tara Lewis and her husband, along with their son, grandson and dog, quickly escaped as heavy smoke filled their home of 30 years and the entire block.

“My grandson came downstairs and said he smelled smoke,” Lewis said. “When he opened the door, it was all smoky on the third floor.”

Adam Khalil lives down the street.

“A good portion of remodeling and repairing and putting love into that home just to have it go up is haunting to say the least,” Khalil said.

Khalil has known the family for years and grew up with the couple’s grandson.

“I just threw my shoes on and got out there and tried to find him as quick as I could,” Khalil said.

Khalil was comforting the teen as firefighters raced to save what they could.

“He hasn’t even graduated high school yet, and he’s already gone through one of the most debilitating things somebody could go through, which is not only losing all of their possessions but losing a home, not just a house but a home,” Khalil said.

Khalil and several other neighbors are now working together to find ways to help him and his family, who lost nearly everything.

“Whether it’s clothing, shoes, food, water‚” Khalil said. “I think for anybody under a disparaging situation like this, that their community needs to embrace them in the same way we’re trying to do.”

The homeowner told Channel 11’s Antoinette DelBel they’re still trying to wrap their heads around what happened, but truly appreciate the clothes and dog food that family and friends have donated so far.

The family is currently staying in a motel. Though the home is condemned, the family said they’re planning on rebuilding.

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