Family returns to home for first time since devastating fire
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – A Lexington family returned to their home for the first time since a devastating fire Saturday. The family feels incomplete without their four pets who tragically died in the fire.
“This has been probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to deal with,” says Heshaam Elbakoush.
Saturday night seemed like any other for Heshaam and Allison Elbakoush. Little did they know when they left for dinner that night when they got home everything would change.
“We had tried to open up the garage door with the garage door opener, we had hit the button several times and it didn’t open. So, I grabbed the keys and I came up to the front door. I tried to open up the front door but as I was doing that I heard the fire alarm going off in the home and I panicked and I ran around back because I knew sometimes the back door might be unlocked. When I opened up the back door, a plume of smoke, black smoke, had hit me in the face,” says Heshaam.
The Elbakoushes say their first thought was wanting to save their dog and three cats.
“We are grateful that we, us three, were safe and not in the house but I would do anything to go back,” says Heshaam.
“It’s almost like if we were home we could’ve stopped it from escalating but you just never know,” says Allison.
The family says they left with nothing but the clothes on their backs, trying to salvage sentimental items but finding everything covered in black smoke. They say that physically it might only take a few months to get back on their feet, mentally they’re preparing for a long road ahead.
“You see it happen to other people but it can never prepare you for if it happens to you,” says Allison.
“I don’t think we could live in this house without our animals. It’s just the memories, everything we’ve worked up to this point is all in this house and we, I don’t think we could bear another day without them here,” says Heshaam.
The Elbakoush family says the fire is still under investigation and they’re working with insurance to try and recover some costs. A GoFundMe has been created to help the family buy nursery items for their daughter, find a new place to live and start to replace their belongings. You can donate at the link HERE.
