A blind dog’s accidental mistake triggered a devastating house fire in Northern California, destroying a family’s home, killing two beloved pets and leaving a mother and her three sons facing the difficult task of rebuilding.
The family’s 9-year-old blind German shepherd reportedly tried to reach a box of burrito wrappers and unintentionally switched on the stovetop. The fire began spreading across the ceiling and into the attic last Thursday in Rough and Ready, according to a GoFundMe campaign established for the family.
“Jody is raising this fundraiser for Martina and her three sons after a devastating house fire destroyed the home… Martina and Jared are separated, but many of Martina’s belongings and the boys’ things were still in the home when the fire happened,” the GoFundMe states.
Everyone in the family escaped safely, but their two dogs did not survive. The blaze destroyed the kitchen, while smoke and soot spread throughout the rest of the house, making the property and everything inside unusable, according to the fundraiser.
Martina’s sons lost most of their belongings, including clothing, toys and other personal items.
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The fundraiser aims to help Martina and her three children replace essential items, including “clothing, beds, toys, furniture, and other everyday necessities, including Martina’s personal belongings that were still in the home.”
So far, the campaign has collected $3,000 toward its $4,000 fundraising goal.
A similar incident in Maryland destroyed another family’s home this past summer after a dog accidentally turned on a toaster. In mid-July, the dog repeatedly jumped onto the kitchen counter, switching on the appliance. Nearby combustible materials caught fire, ultimately destroying the entire house and killing three pets.
“12 weeks ago we lost it all and walked away with – quite literally – only the clothes we were wearing, nothing else. It is from the help of all of you that we were able to eat, buy clothing and move from the hotel to this apartment and have the necessities,” the family wrote on its GoFundMe page.
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