A Palm Beach County family lost everything in a fire over the weekend. It's not a family of just two or four, but eight people.
Mom, dad and six daughters are now homeless.
The Echeverri family was renting a townhome at the Woodlands on Kirk Road and Purdy Road.
On Saturday afternoon, firefighters say a faulty electric outlet sparked a fire. The flames, smoke and water destroyed just about everything inside.
"It was terrible," mother Claudia said through tears while walking through what used to be her kitchen.
Kimberly, 19, was the first to see the flames.
"It was a big fire and by the time we saw it, it was already spreading," she said. "I couldn't believe it. I started screaming."
The faulty outlet caused the rice cooker to explode. Within seconds, the kitchen and dining room was engulfed in flames.
Luckily, everyone made it out okay.
"I honestly don't care that we lost everything. It's just my family and their lives, I'm more happy about that," said Michelle Echeverri, the oldest daughter. "Everything else can be replaced."
The flames and smoke consumed furniture, clothes and even melted the Christmas tree they kept up in the living room.
Their youngest daughter, three-year-old Natalie, lost all of her toys.
"With these situations you try to make the best out of it. You just have to look at the positives. We're all fine, we're all breathing," said Kimberly.
The fire tore them apart. The family is so large, they can't find a place big enough to keep them all together so they've split up at the houses of several friends.
They don't know when they can all live under the same roof again, but there is one thing they're sure of: "This has brought us closer together," said Ashley, the second oldest.
And Claudia is proud to have six daughters to hold her up in this difficult time.
"I'm so proud and thankful they are okay. It's the most important thing that they are alive," she said.
A family friend created a Facebook page and GoFundMe page for the family.
They've raised a little over $300 so far, but the goal is to get all eight family members all under the same roof again.
If you can help, here's a list of all the things they need:
- Clothes: socks, shoes, shorts, pants, shirts, tank tops
- Toys
- Toiletries
- Furniture
- Beds
- Mattresses
- Blankets
- Pillows
- Lamps
- Dishes
You can find much more by clicking here.
