MURPHYSBORO, Ill. (WSIL) -- A family from Murphysboro says they are still in shock and feeling devastated from a fire that broke out in their home on Wednesday night.
It quickly spread throughout the house, and Diane Jones says she and her family managed to escape.
“Because that would've been a real tragedy. It'd been real, it could have been worse. So even though we lost everything, we still have our lives.� Jones said.
Jones� mind is still flooded with emotion after a devastating fire destroyed her home of seven years.
“There's nothing salvageable. If the smoke didn't get it, the water did, I mean, I lost birth certificates and social security cards. I lost everything. It's all Burnt,� Jones said.
Even the rooms she thought had less damage turned out to be gone.
“I didn't think my bathroom was burnt. I went in there today, the bathroom was burnt too,� Jones says. “It's horrible. There's no roof, there's no floors. It's smoke damage, water damage. It's nothing. The house is totally gone.�
She says the most difficult part is not having a place to stay.
“I'm just scared. I have been homeless before,� Jones said.
For now, she is staying with her daughter, but her daughter has her kids and not a lot of room.
“And of course I have mine. It's just no room, you know. And yeah, I don't wanna have to end up sleeping in my car,� Jones said.
Jones� neighbor Sasha Butler, started asking for help as soon as she saw Jones� home the next day.
“She's never really asked for help, and I know she needs it,� Butler said.
And Butler says neighbors started pitching in to help.
“I couldn't imagine losing everything I have 'cause I've worked so hard to get to where I was, and I've lived here nine years, so for her to be there, seven, just, it's hard to build,� Butler said.
Jones, despite all that was lost, is thankful they all make it out safely.
“Thank God for the life that we had. because that would've been a real tragedy,� Jones says. “We'd have been good asleep and we wouldn't have heard that in the front room. My grandbaby normally sleeps in the front room on the couch that burnt.�
The family has set up a to help Jones get back on her feet. Jones says her next step is looking for another place to call home.
