A family in Sidney has been left with half a home after a fire engulfed their attached garage early Saturday evening.
Janine Taverner was home with her daughter when she heard a loud bang, and saw smoke and flame out of the living room window by the garage area.
They quickly evacuated and contacted firefighters at 4:06 p.m. Firefighters responded within two minutes, and Janine’s husband Bob Taverner returned home moments later.
Mike Harman, Deputy Fire Chief with the Sidney Volunteer Fire Department, says that the garage area is a “complete write-off,” but added that he hopes that the contents and materials inside the home will be salvaged.
“Number one goal for us is that the homeowner and child were able to come out,” said Harman.
The Taverner family was also reunited with a beloved family pet when firefighters retrieved a hamster from inside the house, and paramedics were able to revive the hamster with oxygen.
“Obviously this is a traumatic time for the family,” said Harman. “Anything we were able to salvage for the family, so moving forward they could have, you know, kind of the most instrumental things that they have for their day to day life, that’s what we’re here to help provide.”
A GoFundMe page has been set up to assist the Taverner family during their recovery.
Harman added that there have been offers of housing and supplies to assist the family as well.
“It’s an amazing community that we live in, and we’re very fortunate that the community’s reaching out to look after this family in a time of need,” said Harman.
Harman says that while the cause is not yet known, the fire is not suspicious and looks accidental.
CHEK News
