It’s not the way anyone would want to start their Sunday morning. Just after sunrise, a fire tore through a family’s home in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood.
It was a beautiful sunny morning on Dawson Street, and for many, they were probably enjoying coffee, but for Tara Lewis, she woke up to the smell of smoke.
Her home of 30 years is now gone.
“I’m feeling taken aback. I’m feeling confused and just at a loss for words,” Lewis said. “I was met with smoke on the second floor. My grandson came downstairs, said he smelled smoke, and when we opened the door, it was all on the third floor.”
The family had been in the middle of renovations. Construction materials and chemicals meant for rebuilding their dreams instead fueled the flames on the third floor, eventually blowing up.
The family, their dog, and only two precious items made it out.
Neighbors say they watched in disbelief as the smoke rose high above the power lines, fearing the fire would spread to another home.
Tara’s grandson, who escaped the fire, spends a lot of time at the community club right across the street. His friends say they quickly stepped up, trying to help him cope.
“The worst part about it is he hasn’t even graduated from high school. He has to experience one of the most debilitating things a person can experience before he got his diploma, which I think is insane,” childhood friend Adam Khalil said.
The Lewis home wasn’t just another house on the block; it was a piece of the neighborhood’s heart. For decades, families gathered there for cookouts and celebrations.
“This is horrible. This is one of the most beautiful houses on the street. I was literally raised in this house,” Terald Harris said. “Got a lot of memories in there. A lot of memories.”
Even with the Flames gone, the fire has left its mark.
“I don’t think that smell is going to go away anytime soon. I think it’s going to haunt this neighborhood a little,” Khalil added.
The family says, despite the damage, they have plans to rebuild the home.
