CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Illegal fireworks in city limits may have sparked several fires around the area overnight. That includes one that burnt a halfway house for people struggling with substance abuse.
The home, on the 6500 block of Edgewater Drive, heavily was damaged after the garage caught fire. The fire quickly spread to a vacant home next door.
The fire displaced nine people who were living in the halfway house, but to them, the home was more than just a home -- It was a place where they were recovering from their addictions.
It was a place that saved their lives.
David Jorgensen was one of the nine people living there. Some, like him, had been living at the home for several years. Others moved in just a few months ago.
"The year has to start somehow, it's just not what I was expecting," said Jorgensen. "It's a tragedy, but we'll learn and we'll grow from it."
The Corpus Christi Fire Department responded to the call shortly after midnight. The fire was under control in about 30 minutes.
No one was injured during the fire, but there still is pain for the victims like Jorgensen.
"God works in many ways," said Jorgensen. "A lot of times, we don't understand it. But I know there is a reason for this."
Jorgensen also said the fire is an opportunity to start over.
After the fire, the American Red Cross helped Jorgensen and the other eight victims. The organization helped them find a place to stay for the night and gave them clothing and food.
But most importantly, losing the home didn't mean losing one another.
"We've been losing things all our lives," said Jorgensen. "We've been giving them away through our addictions and through our alcoholism. And we'll come out stronger in the long run."
