A home owned by Jake and Breezy Yinger, located at 17450 Morris Rose Road, just north of Jackson Center, burned down to its foundation on Monday, Dec. 18.
Luke Gronneberg | Sidney Daily News
By Charlotte Caldwell
[email protected]
JACKSON CENTER — With six days left until Christmas, the Yinger family is trying to pick up the pieces after their house at 17450 Morris Rose Road near Jackson Center burned to the ground on Monday, Dec. 18, around 1:30 p.m.
No one was home at the time of the fire except the family’s two dogs, Linus and Lizzy. Linus, an older dog, did not survive, but Lizzy made it out and is doing well, according to homeowner Jake Yinger. He estimated the loss at $200,000.
Yinger said first responders on the scene said the cause of the fire remains undetermined but the furnace might have exploded.
“Looking at it today, it looks like something turned my furnace inside out,” Yinger said. An investigation is ongoing by Sidney Fire to determine the cause.
The family has received lots of donated clothes and monetary donations through Venmo and they could use gift cards as they start to determine what they need. Donations can be made to Breezy Yinger on Venmo @Breezy-Yinger.
“There’s clothes showing up right and left, but I think it’s like long-term down the road when we start realizing what all we don’t have and have to slowly start reacquiring it,” Yinger said. “I have never been through something like this, I have never even known anybody who’s been through something like this, so I don’t know what I need.”
Meyer’s Tavern in Botkins provided dinner for the family Monday night, and the Heidout Restaurant & Bar in Jackson Center will provide dinner Tuesday night. Both restaurants will have a donation jar set up for money and gift cards.
Yinger said the family will stay at his mother-in-law’s for the time being.
“I’m a maintenance guy, so I’m a very hands-on guy, so I’m going to take care of cleaning all of this up and build another house right behind where the first one was,” Yinger said. “We appreciate the outpouring of support. I just can’t believe the amount of people and stuff that has shown up in less than 24 hours. People can make fun of our small town but this is why I live in a small town.”
Anna EMS and Fire, Botkins Fire, Jackson Center Fire, Maplewood Fire, Port Jefferson Fire, Shelby County deputies, St. Johns Fire in Auglaize County and Van Buren Fire responded to the fire.
