WAUSEON, Ohio — A Wauseon family is picking up the pieces after their home was destroyed by a fire Saturday night.
Chase Rodriguez and Trisha Warner got a call from their neighbor while they were driving back from a wrestling tournament.
"As soon as we got here the house was fully engulfed. I ran in and tried to save my animals but it was too late for them," Rodriguez said.
One dog, a cat, a few birds and some fish died in the fire. Another dog was rescued but later died.
In a matter of minutes, this family of six was suddenly left with nothing but each other.
"We've got little piles scattered around of sentimental items that we hope we can clean up," Warner said.
"We're just heartbroken, devastated, just feel so bad for the kids," Warner said.
Except in the city of Wauseon, there's a word you'll hear a lot: family.
"Everybody is your family here," Deb Benien, the owner of Brett's Towing and Repair, said.
Warner works at Sullivan's Restaurant. There, the staff is collecting clothing and cash donations.
"We all kind of treat each other like family here, we love Trish to death, so if anything bad happens to her, we're all willing to pitch in and help," Chase Murry, a server and bartender at Sullivan's said.
Just three minutes down the road, where Rodriguez works, you'll find the same thing: piles of donations.
"(It) breaks my heart. I mean, these kids work their butts off for everything they've got and then to just lose it like that is sad; it's awful," Benien said.
It doesn't seem like just a kind act from a neighbor, but the kind of care given by family.
"I can't thank people enough. Wauseon — just the community, family, neighbors have just been amazing with support," said Warner.
You can drop off donations in the following locations:
- Sullivans Restaurant at 141 N. Fulton St., Wauseon
- Brett’s Towing and Repair at 415 East Linfoot St., Wauseon
- Aaron’s Rent to Own at 465 Airport Hwy., Wauseon
- Glass Bowl Lanes at 513 Telegraph Rd., Toledo
The family has also set up a GoFundMe online here.
Wauseon Fire Chief Rick Sluder said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.