Bonkers squirrel chews by electrical wires and blows up household residence
Donnie Banta and Stacey Davis, along with their two kids, narrowly escaped death after the smell of smoke coming from the attic in their Florida home woke them up
The home was left completely charred (Image: GoFundMe)
A family has been left devastated after a squirrel chewed through electrical wires in their home, which resulted in the entire property burning down.
Donnie Banta and Stacey Davis, from Panama City in Florida, US, were otherwise sleeping peacefully on January 31 when they were woken up by the smell of burning from their attic. Luckily, the couple were able to make it safely outside with their two kids and pets once they realised their lives were in danger.
Panama City firefighters rushed out to the scene and were able to contain the blaze. However, the house and all its contents were completely gutted.
Donnie told local news outlet WMBB: “We were all asleep. And I heard the breaker flip in the back. So I got up to see what the noise was, and I heard the sound like rustling in the attic, and I could smell an electrical smell. So I woke everybody up and got out of the house.
“They said a squirrel got into the attic and chewed on some wires and shorted it out, and that’s what started the fire.”
While Stacey added: “It was very frantic. And we were just scrambling, trying to get everything together and wake everybody up and get them all out.”
A relative of the family has since set up a GoFundMe page to help them “rebuild their lives” as they look to “restart from scratch” following the hugely unlucky incident.
“My sister Stacey Davis-Banta and her family experienced a devastating house fire last night. The roof collapsed, and nearly everything they owned was destroyed in the blaze,” the page read.
It went on: “Thankfully, Stacey, her husband, and their two children made it out safely, but they are now faced with the overwhelming challenge of starting over from scratch.
“The loss of their home and belongings has left them in urgent need of support as they navigate this difficult time. The funds raised through this campaign will go directly toward helping Stacey and her family with immediate needs such as temporary housing, clothing, basic necessities, and the many expenses that come with rebuilding their lives. Any support you can give is greatly appreciated as they begin to rebuild their lives.”
At the time of writing, more than $7,000 (£5,100) out of a $10,000 (£7,300) target has been raised.
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