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Community supports Fishers family after house fire

FISHERS (WISH) — Neighbors are coming together to show support for a Fishers family who lost everything in a house fire over the Memorial Day weekend.

It happened near 131st Street and Howe Road in the Breandonshire subdivision on Sunday.

Investigators are still trying to figure out what caused the fire. It destroyed the two story home in a matter of minutes and took firefighters at least two hours to put it out. Investigators say no one was home during the time of the fire.

Caution tape blocked off what used to be the home of the O’Brien family.

Nickie O’Brien and her husband spent most of the day picking up what’s left behind.

“We’re just trying to keep a good heart about things and realized that they’re things, a lot of memories in there,” said Nickie O’Brien.

O’Brien said she and her husband were out of town celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary when they received the phone call. The two rushed back from Kentucky.

“I mean you see the pictures, you see the flames, and everyone tells you,” said O’Brien. “I don’t know. Until you’re there, I think it’s not as believable.”

Cellphone video captured the intensity of the flames and smoke coming from the second floor.

Firefighters initially attacked the fire from inside, but pulled out once the fire became overwhelming. They were able to get everything under control from the outside.

Reality sunk in for Nicholas O’Brien once the flames were put out.

“I was kind of like, what? This can’t be real,” said Nicholas O’Brien. “Trying to take it all in.”

Support poured in for the family following the fire. Nicholas’ friend set up a GoFundMe account for the family, now left with nothing, but the clothes on their backs.

“I have gotten a lot of messages from a lot of friends that I haven’t talked to in a long time or just friends that I haven’t even met,” said O’Brien.

The O’Brien family knows it won’t be long until they land on their feet again.

“It’s just going to be a struggle, but as long as we stick through it and continue have the community support we should make it,” said O’Brien.

Investigators said two neighbors rushed into the burning home to save the family’s dog. They all made it out safely.

For the time being the family is staying at a hotel.

Click here if you would like to help the family with a monetary donation.

The Fishers Fire Department Captain tells 24-Hour News 8 nothing points to a suspicious fire. The family believes it may have started from a gas fireplace.