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A mischievous squirrel wreaked havoc on a Florida family’s life by gnawing through electrical wires, igniting a fire that reduced their home to ruins.
On January 31, Donnie Banta and Stacey Davis were asleep with their children and pets in their Panama City residence when an unusual noise and the scent of something burning in the attic suddenly woke them, as reported by WMBB.
“We were all asleep when I heard the breaker trip in the back,” Banta explained.
“I got up to investigate the noise, and I noticed rustling in the attic accompanied by an electrical smell,” he added.
Upon realizing a fire had broken out, the mother of two quickly moved to get her family and pets out of the house safely.
“It was very frantic. We were scrambling, trying to wake everybody up and get them all out,” Davis recalled.
Panama City firefighters rushed to the scene and were able to contain the inferno, but the home was completely destroyed.
Banta told the outlet that officials determined a squirrel was the culprit behind the fire, which reduced the home — and all of the family’s prized possessions and valuables — to rubble.
“They said a squirrel got into the attic and chewed on some wires and shorted it out, and that’s what started the fire,” Banta said.
A GoFundMe launched to help the family rebuild their lives revealed that the blaze caused the roof to collapse.
“They are now faced with the overwhelming challenge of starting over from scratch,” the fundraiser page said.
“The loss of their home and belongings has left them in urgent need of support as they navigate this difficult time.”
The campaign funds will be used to help the family secure housing, clothing and basic necessities as they begin the difficult process of rebuilding their lives.
“We’re mainly needing donations to go toward the GoFundMe account,” Davis told WMBB.
“Maybe some furniture or kitchen items as well.”