A Belmont County family lost nearly everything Wednesday morning after a fire started in a bedroom of their home.
The fire started at 5 a.m. on Lloydsville Alley in Lloydsville, Ohio. Lloydsville is located a few miles west of St. Clairsville.
"There were three individuals living there, and they had all exited safely prior to our arrival," said Cumberland Trail Fire Chief Greg Reline. "It started in a front bedroom. That's where one young gentleman was sleeping. It woke him up, and at the same time the smoke detector went off in the house."
Eric Bartolo, his girlfriend and their 21-year-old son were all asleep when the fire started. Bartolo said he tried to put out the blaze, but the flames were too intense.
"I just had to get out of the house," Bartolo said. "There was just no where to go, it was solid black."
The family was able to make it to a neighbor's house to call 911.
"I never thought it would happen to me or us," Bartolo said. "We're just trying to figure out what we are going to do next. I'm just glad we got our lives. That's worth more than the house."
Bartolo said that family and friends are already arranging fundraising efforts and a benefit concert to help.
Fire crews said they do not yet know what started the fire, but they say the incident is not considered suspicious.
Jill Del Greco, NEWS9
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