TEMPLE, Texas (KXXV) — A local Bell County volunteer firefighter is picking up the pieces after losing his home and vehicle in a weekend fire, but the community is already stepping up to help one of their own rebuild.
- Jacob Mahood, a Morgan's Point Resort volunteer firefighter, lost his Temple home and vehicle in a weekend fire that took crews over three hours to battle.
- The family was nearly finished remodeling their home when the fire destroyed everything, with the cause still unknown.
- Community members have rallied to support Mahood through a GoFundMe campaign that has already raised more than $2,900.
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BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
A Morgan's Point Resort volunteer firefighter is picking up the pieces after losing his home and vehicle in a weekend fire, but the community is already stepping up to help one of their own rebuild.
Jacob Mahood, a Morgan's Point Resort volunteer firefighter, watched as flames consumed his Temple home over the weekend. What was once his living room is now reduced to ashes, along with the family vehicle parked outside.
"I was scared, I still am. I'm still trying to process it," Mahood said.
Local fire crews spent more than three hours battling the blaze at Mahood's home.
The cause of the fire remains unknown.
25 News' Madison Myers walked through the damaged home with Mahood as he surveyed a place that's now nearly unrecognizable. The family had been in the middle of remodeling the house and were almost finished with their renovations.
"We've been remodeling inside the house, we were almost done with the house and everything we've worked for just went down the drain but we're going to try and rebuild back up," Mahood said.
Mahood and his family are now left cleaning up and sorting through what remains of their belongings.
"Right now we're just cleaning up and trying to get everything clean and we'll just go from there," Mahood said. "All we can do is take it a step at a time."
Despite the devastating loss, the heart of the community is already on display. Neighbors have donated thousands of dollars through GoFundMe and are stepping up to show support for the firefighter who has served them.
"It feels good. My dad and I made a plan that after we get back on our feet, we're going to try and do something for the community for helping us," Mahood said.
The GoFundMe for the family has already raised more than $2,900.
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