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Family loses everything in North Huntingdon house fire

NORTH HUNTINGDON, Pa. — As firefighters fought a North Huntingdon house fire from the ground on Wednesday, smoke billowed from the roof.A family of from los

t everything from their Armstrong Street house, including two pets.

"Fire whistles went off and everybody went outside and could smell smoke,” said family friend Daniel Vargo.

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Vargo and Kenna Embree are close friends with the Hill family. They told Channel 11 when they found out whose house caught fire, they knew they had to find a way to help.

"It was like a heartbreaking feeling where you really want to be there to help them, but you can’t. And it’s the same thing with them -- they couldn't do nothing about it,” Vargo said.

"I figured, well, I'm not just going to sit here and do nothing, so I told him maybe start a Gofundme page," Embree said.

In a matter of two hours, clothing donations at Larimer Volunteer Fire Department and monetary donations on that page started pouring in. But Vargo and Embree know this is only a small step for a family left to pick up the pieces and start from scratch.

"(The family's) helped me through a lot in my life, so I figured I'd return the favor and help them myself," Vargo said.

Vargo and Embree were unsure where the family would be staying Wednesday night. Donations of food, gift cards and clothing can be left at the fire department, they said.

"I'm sure if it was any other way around they would do the exact same thing, they would donate whatever they could, be there for anybody who needed it,” Embree said.