TAMPA, Fla. — A Seminole Heights family lost their home after their roof collapsed while workers were in the process of replacing it.
A pile of rubble is what’s left of what had been the happy home that Victoria Sowell shared with her military veteran husband Casey and their son and daughter.
The historic Seminole Heights bungalow was damaged by Hurricane Milton in October.
The roof was scheduled to be fixed in time for Christmas. Instead, the house was destroyed.
“She thought she was getting a new roof for Christmas, and now they’re homeless,” said neighbor Ariel Pitcher.
Pitcher shot photos and video as the roof started to cave in.
Victoria and Casey were inside while the roofers were working.
“We started hearing cracking, and I started screaming, ‘Stop! Stop!,’" Victoria said. "The roofs came in and were like, ‘Oh my God."
ABC Action News' Adam Walser met up with Victoria near her mom’s house, where she’s temporarily staying.
It’s dozens of miles from her kid's school and from the VA hospital where Casey works.
Victoria said she and her husband had to escape their home through a bathroom window when it happened Monday.
“Thank goodness the children weren’t home," Pitcher said. "Nobody was injured.”
Police, firefighters and code enforcement arrived to assist, but the house was already condemned.
“I’m really sad and devastated this happened, especially two days before Christmas with two little kids," Pitcher said.
The house was demolished Christmas Eve to prevent it from collapsing on a neighbor’s home and to keep anyone from getting hurt.
The Sowells haven’t been able to reach their insurance agent yet.
“It’s Christmas, so we’re in a holding pattern," Victoria said. "We’re literally taking one step at a time."
The family is now trying to figure out what comes next.
“We’ve been giving each other lots of hugs, and we’re focusing on the fact that we’re all safe and it’s just a house," Victoria said. "What matters is we are all together."
Neighbors and relatives have set up a Go-Fund-Me page to help the family with their immediate needs.
Victoria says she’s lived in Seminole Heights for more than a decade and has received an outpouring of love from her neighbors.
“Everybody’s just been very supportive, which is amazing," Victoria said. "I love my community, and it’s sad that I don’t have a home in the community anymore, but we’ll figure it out."
