Small Minnesota community rallies around family after devastating house fire
ZIMMERMAN, Minn. — A massive house fire left a family in Zimmerman scrambling to safety.
Amid the debris, Katie Belair reminisces all the good times.
"It's hard because every memory, all those things are in the house," Belair said.
Eight years of laughter and love was gone in an instant soon after she fell asleep.
Belair said she was woken up by her son banging on her bedroom door, yelling for her to get out of the house because of a fire.
According to Zimmerman/Livonia volunteer firefighter Tony Rivera, the call for just before 3 a.m. Monday morning and crews arrived to big flames coming out of the garage before it collapsed. Rivera said two other fire agencies assisted in putting the fire out that took a lot of water and man power.
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"I couldn't believe it," Belair recalled. "We are just grateful to be out alive."
The garage fire quickly spread burning and melting everything in its way.
As they watched crews battle the flames, they realized their dog and cat were inside. Rivera said they were able to find them safe, both finding a spot in the home not severely impacted by the fire.
"What we can't replace we got out, everything else is memories and we can hold those in our hearts," Belair said.
Three days after the fire, nothing remains but exposed ceilings and melted trophies. But inside one of these charred vehicles is a bible that was untouched, never burning in the fire.
"God was telling us he got us," Belair said. "Yes, we're going to go through hardship, but he's got a plan for us and we just have to stay faithful."
Belair smiled saying her family is leaning on their faith and a supportive community including a sports family who cares on and off the field.
"A coach from Zimmerman brought the boys clothes because he knew they didn't have any," she said. "This town watches out for each other."
For right now, Belair says they are working to get into a rental home that is big enough for her family all while hoping to rebuild in a community she loves.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.