A Florida family narrowly escaped disaster after a squirrel chewing through electrical wiring sparked a house fire that destroyed their home on January 31. Donnie Banta and Stacey Davis were asleep with their two children and pets when Banta heard a breaker flip, followed by rustling in the attic and the smell of burning wires. They rushed to wake everyone and flee as flames overtook the house.
Firefighters later confirmed the blaze began when a squirrel gnawed through wiring, causing a short that led to a full structural collapse. The family lost nearly all of their belongings, and a GoFundMe campaign has raised close to $6,000 of its $10,000 goal to help them secure housing and begin rebuilding.