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Connellsville Home Burns Down While Family Is Away For Thanksgiving

CONNELLSVILLE (KDKA) – A family's home and possessions went up in smoke Thursday. A Connellsville family was spending Thanksgiving at a relative's when they learned their house was on fire.

Like many of us, Dave and Amanda Rugg were just sitting down to a Thanksgiving meal when Dave got a call. Everything they ever worked for was going up in smoke. For Dave Rugg, Black Friday has a different meaning this year.

"Pretty much a total loss," he said.

A burnt out shell is what remains of the Ruggs' Springfield Pike home after fire destroyed it.

"I was actually getting ready to sit down at my mother-in-law's for Thanksgiving when my best friend called and said, 'your house is on fire,'" he said. He says all he could think was, "What am I gonna do?"

Rugg is trying to keep his chin up. He and Amanda aren't the only ones facing this. They have six children – five boys and a girl.

Rugg is thankful for the support the family is getting and thankful the home is all that was lost.

"Thank god nobody was home," he said. "That means everything."

The Red Cross is helping the family. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but it's believed to be electrical in nature. The home was insured.

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