SUBURBAN WEST PALM BEACH -- The Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Community Assistance Team has been working to help an Acreage couple who lost many of their possessions in a fire.
Fire burned much of Eric Ott and Jamie Lauter's home in the early morning hours Thursday.
Ott, Lauter, and their dog were able to make it out of the home safely.
PBC Fire Rescue Community Assistance Team Coordinator Alicia Kula says people can now make donations to Ott and Lauter at any Credit Union of Palm Beach County bank.
Donors should ask for the account to benefit Jamie Lauter and Eric Ott.
People can also transfer funds to the account.
If you would like to help and have any questions, contact Alicia Kula at 561-472-4124 or 561-616-7062 .
Thursday report:
THE ACREAGE, FL -- A smoky fire forces an Acreage couple from their home in the middle of the night.
The blaze is just one more difficult situation for a family that has had its share of heartache.
We first found homeowners Eric Ott and Jamie Lauter outside their Royal Palm Beach Boulevard home of ten years.
They were sitting in their night clothes, hugging their dog, George, tightly as they watched firefighters put out the flames.
"Our feelings, our pockets," says Jamie.
"Yea, everything we owned was in there," adds Eric.
Eric got them out of there.
Around 3:30 a.m., Eric woke up coughing and choking and says he ran to the bedroom door, but decided to keep it closed because the doorknob was so hot.
"I heard the popping and the crackling so I knew the fire was raging in there and the smoke," says Eric.
He woke up Jamie, then broke their bedroom window with the ironing board.
Eric says the two then jumped out with the dog.
Several units from Palm Beach Coiunty Fire Rescue spent the better part of the early morning hours quelling the flames.
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Ron Beesley says the flames were through the roof.
Much of the home is now destroyed.
Palm Beach County Fire Rescue investigators say at this point, it looks like the fire was electrical in nature.
Firefighters say the fire started in the center of the home.
"It was a beautiful ranch house at one time. What the fire did to it is unreal. It's just got me sick. I don't know. We have no insurance. I don't know what I'm going to do. Ihave no idea," says Eric.
This is a family who has already lost so much.
Their son, Aaron, was robbed and murdered in West Palm Beach, seven years ago and hours before the fire, they say they got into a car accident.
"We're just kinda in shock. Like he said, I didn't think things could get any worse," says Jamie.
The American Red Cross arrived on scene Thursday morning to provide immediate assistance.
The Palm Beach County Fire Rescue Community Assistance Team is stepping in to help the couple as well.
Team coordinator Alicia Kula says they are working on setting up a benevolent fund for donations.
Kula says clothing, food, and other items are needed. Call Kula at 561-616-7062 if you would like to make a donation or assist in any way.
