PAYNE SPRINGS, Texas — The East Texas community is stepping up to help a family who was left homeless after a fire destroyed their home in Mabank Sunday afternoon.
The Hutson family was looking forward to celebrating Christmas Eve when the electricity went out.
"We started cleaning the kitchen and getting ready to cook lunch. And about that time, the power went off in the whole neighborhood," homeowner John Hutson said.
The family decided to leave during the power outage. Upon returning to their house, they discovered their home was on fire.
According to the Payne Springs Fire Rescue, firefighters responded to the house fire in the Bandera Bay subdivision around 2:40 p.m.
Fire crews arrived on the scene to find smoke and fire coming through a wall. With the help of Gun Barrel City Fire and Eustace Fire, PSFR quickly extinguished the fire in the kitchen.
Payne Springs House Fire
During the fire, Huston rushed inside to save their three pets before crews arrived on the scene.
"We got the dogs out and we were very relieved. Unfortunately, our female did suffer smoke inhalation," homeowner Kendall Hutson said.
The family's yoriki, Lucy, is recovering from her injury but will return home with her family. No one else was harmed in the fire.
PSFR said the cause of the fire remains unknown but the house suffered heavy smoke and water damage.
For the past couple of years, Kendall Hutson has been sick. Now with the fire, it's making things a bit tougher, she said.
"I'm hoping that we have somewhere to live so that I can still have my surgery and have somewhere to recover," Kendall Hutson said.
With the help of the American Red Cross, the Hutson family is living in a hotel.
"We were able to salvage all of their (the kids') Christmas presents. (and) we were still had a Christmas" Kendall Hutson said. "We were very thankful for that (and) for being in the hotel room together."
A GoFundMe campaign was created to help the family raise money for veterinary costs and financial help for housing.
"I just think what a blessing to have that many people rally around and support us," Kendall Hutson said. "(They) help us and take time away from their family and their needs to make sure that we were OK."
To help the Huston family, you can donate to their GoFundMe here.