Firefighters-In-Training Lose Everything In Devastating House Fire: 'Didn't Even Have Shoes On My Feet'
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MOUNT PLEASANT (KDKA) -- After two firefighters in-training lost everything in a house fire, first responders in Mount Pleasant, Westmoreland County, are stepping up to help.
"She woke us all up when she woke up, and realized her room was on fire," said Susan Higgins, who says the fire started in her sister's room.
It's unclear what sparked it.
All five people at home, early Tuesday, made it out safely, but the flames spread too quickly to allow the family to grab any belongings.
"I didn't even have shoes on my feet when I left the house actually," said Higgins.
Ironically, it's fighting fires that Higgins and her roommate, Cassandra Cranston, are training to do with the Mount Pleasant Volunteer Fire Department.
So, when word got out: "We got phone calls immediately, even other departments that called us that wanted to help, and that's brotherhood there," said Chief Jerry Lucia, of the Mount Pleasant Volunteer Fire Department.
Higgins is also a medic with Medic 10, so the medics there have started taking donations for the fire victims.
"It's a tight-knit community, and it's a brotherhood," said Zach Gergas, from Medic 10. "When one goes down, we all step in to help out."
"Anyone can come in and donate clothes, blankets, shoes, gift cards. Anything to help because, like she said earlier, they have nothing," said Ryan King, of Medic 10.
The fire department will have a raffle and boot drive next week to help the two aspiring firefighters.
For more information on the donation drive:
Higgin's family also set up a GoFundMe page for cash donations. If you would like to help, visit this link.
