Officials: Sparklers caused fire that destroyed Goshen home on July 4th
GOSHEN, N.Y. -- A fireworks accident on the Fourth of July is to blame for burning down a home in Orange County, New York.
It happened Monday night in Goshen.
As CBS2's Nick Caloway reports, neighbors are coming together to help the family that lost everything.
Neighbors called it a horror show as flames ripped through a home on Corral Lane around 10 p.m.
"Terrifying. We came around the corner, my wife and I coming from fireworks, and the front porch and the first floor was on fire. Within 15 to 20 minutes, the house was gone," neighbor Bob Shanfield said.
By Tuesday morning, the house was reduced to rubble.
Officials say kids who live in the home were playing with sparklers on the front porch when some lit sparklers were dropped, igniting a fire that spread quickly.
One adult and multiple children were evacuated. No one was injured.
Neighboring houses were hit with minor damage from the intense heat. Those neighbors credit firefighters with saving their homes.
"The men, the volunteer firemen, they put that fire out. They were relentless. They didn't give up. For hours, they were fighting that fire," neighbor Aileen Swift said.
Neighbors immediately set up an online fundraiser to collect donations for the family, and local businesses stepped up, offering food and lodging.
"Since about 9 o'clock this morning, we've raised over $11,000, Village Pizzeria has agreed to provide dinner for the family this week, and a very generous WK Mechanical has been able to book a full week at a local hotel," neighbor Lee Loftus said.
Shanfield spent Tuesday collecting cash donations for his neighbors.
"They lost everything, so this is a way to give back," he said.
CBS2 has been told the fire marshal will investigate to confirm the cause of the fire.
According to the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services, the sale and use of sparklers is prohibited in parts of Orange County but not Goshen.
