A Lake Worth family is reeling after their home was consumed by fire when a generator they were using exploded. The incident took place on Friday night in the Winston Trails community after the neighborhood lost power. Steve Jackson, his wife, and son escaped the blaze with their dog, but tragically, their cat perished in the fire, reported WPBF 25 News.
"It was hot, in the house so I said, ‘Well, I’ll hook up the generator. And you can run the air conditioner,'" Jackson told WPBF 25 News. No sooner had the generator been running for about an hour when it shut off, and Jackson discovered flames. "As I come around the corner, I see flames... low flames," he said. In the the process of trying to extinguish the fire with a fire extinguisher, the generator's tank exploded.
According to a WSVN 7News interview, the flames quickly escalated, and neighbors watched in horror as the fire engulfed the home. "By the time we got across the street, it was just blowing up really loud big, tall flames," Spencer Jackson, Steve's son, recounted. The Jacksons were able to save their dog, but their cat wasn't as fortunate and died from smoke inhalation. Steve Jackson said, "She didn’t make it. But she didn’t suffer. She wasn’t anywhere the fire was. We buried her today."
As the community reels from the tragedy, neighbors have rallied around the Jackson family to provide support. "I grew up with them, I would have been devastated. Their family means a lot to me. They know that," neighbor Annalise Wellman said in a statement obtained by WPBF 25 News. Wellman, along with others from the Winston Trails community, have come forward to offer assistance, including setting up a GoFundMe page for the Jacksons. "They always give to the community, so we’re giving back now," she added.
The fire not only left the Jacksons homeless, it also damaged the adjacent home. Meanwhile, the Jacksons are piecing their lives back together, now staying with relatives as they face the aftermath of the devastating event. "It was really scary, for sure, but I’m just glad we all made it out," said the family member, reflecting on the traumatic experience.
