KEENESBURG, Colo. — A Weld County family needs help after losing their home in an electrical fire on Sept. 12. Judi Sitzman said the family home was destroyed in just seven minutes and killed three of their dogs and two cats.
Sitzman lived in the home with her husband Curt, three of their sons, and her grandchildren. Two of her sons were home at the time of the fire and managed to escape unharmed. Security camera footage shows one of their dogs, Baxter, running out of the home, followed by flames engulfing the garage.
"I just couldn't even wrap my brain around what was going on at that time," said Sitzman. "It's been hard for us to process the loss of our pets.”
In addition to the lost home, three of the family's vehicles were lost in the fire, and three others suffered minor damages. The family is still trying to decide whether or not they can rebuild.
"We spent 22 years here," said Sitzman. "We put a lot of blood, sweat, and tears in."
Although tragic, the family found some beauty in the loss. The family's storage building on the property is now filled with donations from friends, neighbors, and even strangers who heard about the fire. The donations include clothes, food, and toys for Sitzman's grandchildren.
“There are just so many amazing people in this community that have just rallied around us," said Sitzman.
The donations are always welcome, and the family also needs help covering clean-up costs.
If you want to donate, the family has a GoFundMe set up here.
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