Family's Home Destroyed Easter Weekend

A fire in East Ridge turns one family's Easter into disaster. The fire happened around 10 O'clock last night and has cost a family their home, their belongings and much more.

Neighbors say the smoke on Lansdell Road was so thick, they couldn't see their hands in front of their faces. East Ridge Fire Department is still investigating the fire, but say they aren't suspicious of foul play.

In the meantime, the family that lived there spent their Easter Sunday trying to figure out what to do next. Darlene and Chuck Bonham have had a tough night. Instead they're staying at a hotel because last night a fire destroyed their home.

 "My husband and I we were planning to go to church this morning to celebrate Easter and of course that got put off. So we weren't put able to do that and its just been a rough week," says Darlene Bonham.

Darlene says within minutes the East Ridge fire department came and put out the fire. But for some members of her family they weren't quick enough.

"After I tried to douse it i knew I had to call 911. So I called and within just a few seconds after I called there was smoke coming into that room and right after I hung up with them there were flames," says Darlene Bonham.

"We had four cats we lost three of the cats in the fire, the other cat is in the hospital, we don't know yet if she's going to make it. After that we went to Wal-Mart because we didn't have any clothes but what was on us," says Darlene Bonham.

The Bonhams haven't yet been back to what used to be their home, but suspect they lost everything. East Ridge Fire Department says the damage is estimated to be nearly thirty thousand dollars.

The Bonhams say they aren't sure what to do next but instead of focusing on the things they lost, they are grieving for what they can't replace.

"I know some people will just think of it as just an animal, just a cat, just a dog, just a this...when you really love your animals they're much more than that, they're children, yea they are," says Darlene and Chuck Bonham.

Although firefighters were not able to save all of the cats, they were able to save the one hundred and forty thousand dollar house. The fire was contained to the garage and the den.