TAFT, Texas — Ashes and debris are all that's left of a home that caught fire on Tutt Avenue in Taft, leaving Sundy and Todd Leisher to pick up the pieces and focus on starting over.
“Everything is gone. The tools Todd used for work and to build this house all were in the room where the fire started,” Sundy Leisher said.
It was late Sunday afternoon when a fire started in the garage. Engulfing the entire house. At the time no one was home.
“Every time I come here it’s hard because I have to relive it again,” Sundy Leisher said.
A Blink Smart Security camera captured what happened just before emergency responders arrived at the fire. In the video a nearby neighbor is seen running inside the house with a fire extinguisher.
This neighbor was not alone. Others saw smoke and took immediate action. They tried to save all 5 of the Leisher family's pets.
“My cats were special and losing them is so hard,” Sundy Leisher said.
Einstein and Alice were buried in the backyard that same night.
“You're numb and then you're grateful for all the people and friends that we have who came to help us,” Todd Leisher
The Leisher’s tell us they plan to build a new home right in Taft, but they know it’ll take time.
Good neighbors and officials like Police Chief John Landreth make it all worth it.
“The citizens are the ones who are stepping up and giving up their power tools so he can go back to work and get back on his feet,” Landreth said.
Once the home rebuild begins, the Leisher’s said it should take almost a year to finish.
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