House explosion take everything
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This Lansing family is blessed to be here to tell us their story, but has lost everything. Please take a moment to put yourself in their shoes and let's come together as a community to help this local family.
"It's very difficult," said Ashleigh Finley.
She and her husband Gene Dockstader were just settling into their new home, when a hit and run accident ended in their dining room.
"I had told Ash to grab the baby and get out of the house immediately," Dockstader said. "And I mean after that it was just chaotic, everything happened so quickly."
Then, their home exploded late Sunday night.
"We tried to get out of the house as fast as we can," Finley said. "I grabbed her, and thankfully we made it out safe."
She and her husband were sitting on their porch Sunday night when a car slammed into their dining room.
Police think a gold SUV rear ended a red sedan, then the sedan hit the gas line, knocked over a stop sign and ended up in the house.
"It was like a big ball of fire flame, like tubs and furniture, everything flying everywhere," said Teonna Dabner, who saw the whole thing.
By morning, their new life was turned to rubble.
"It hasn't quite sunk in yet that everything we owned is gone," Finley said.
Firefighter Charles Stadt was on the scene Sunday night, and says Ashleigh and Gene did everything right.
"It is very important that if something were to happen where you smell natural gas to immediately evacuate," Stand said.
Monday, police are looking for the driver of the SUV that they think caused the accident. They're asking if you know anything, to call Lansing police.
"Maybe they've got knowledge of this person that left the scene, or heard that they were bragging and talking about it," Merritt said.
And Ashleigh and Gene are looking for a way forward.
"We've got each other," Gene said, "and we've got baby Ari, and we have our family and friends and the community's support. And that's all we really need."
"It's very difficult," said Ashleigh Finley.
She and her husband Gene Dockstader were just settling into their new home, when a hit and run accident ended in their dining room.
"I had told Ash to grab the baby and get out of the house immediately," Dockstader said. "And I mean after that it was just chaotic, everything happened so quickly."
Then, their home exploded late Sunday night.
"We tried to get out of the house as fast as we can," Finley said. "I grabbed her, and thankfully we made it out safe."
She and her husband were sitting on their porch Sunday night when a car slammed into their dining room.
Police think a gold SUV rear ended a red sedan, then the sedan hit the gas line, knocked over a stop sign and ended up in the house.
"It was like a big ball of fire flame, like tubs and furniture, everything flying everywhere," said Teonna Dabner, who saw the whole thing.
By morning, their new life was turned to rubble.
"It hasn't quite sunk in yet that everything we owned is gone," Finley said.
Firefighter Charles Stadt was on the scene Sunday night, and says Ashleigh and Gene did everything right.
"It is very important that if something were to happen where you smell natural gas to immediately evacuate," Stand said.
Monday, police are looking for the driver of the SUV that they think caused the accident. They're asking if you know anything, to call Lansing police.
"Maybe they've got knowledge of this person that left the scene, or heard that they were bragging and talking about it," Merritt said.
And Ashleigh and Gene are looking for a way forward.
"We've got each other," Gene said, "and we've got baby Ari, and we have our family and friends and the community's support. And that's all we really need."
Organizer
Ric Harris
Organizer
Lansing, MI
