LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The Neal family would typically spend the day after Thanksgiving decorating for Christmas. Still, today, they're figuring out where they'll spend the holidays after a fire tore through their house Thursday.
"Everything is either water damage, fire damage, or smoke damage," said Chaquenta Neal, who was spending the morning sorting through what was left with her husband. "My kids grew up in this house so to not have it anymore was traumatic for all of us."
Neal said it was around 3:00 p.m. Thursday when the fire broke out. They were getting ready to enjoy a meal as a family when she says smoke began pouring into the house.
"It was supposed to be a happy day," she said. "My daughter left to go get us some food 'cause we were trying to snack on something until dinner was ready, and when she came back, the house was in flames."
The Neals jumped into action so quickly that the turkey they were smoking was still untouched on the back porch Friday morning.
Lexington firefighters confirmed an HVAC unit in the garage caused the fire that spread to the attic and into their living space. The home on Gateway Park Lane is where the Neals have lived since 2010 and raised their three children. Neal tells LEX 18 that the Christmas presents she bought for her kids are all gone.
"We're trying to take it day by day, trying to figure it out," she said. "We don't really know where we're going to stay; our insurance company is non-responsive."
As they sort through the damage, the Neals stay with their neighbors for now. Neal says she's thankful they will at least be together for the holidays.
"I'm just grateful that we're okay," she said. "The biggest thing is I'm just trying to keep it together and remember it could always be worse, and we have each other, and we're here."
