Family of 5 forced out of Belle Vernon home, 3 dogs killed when chimney collapses

BELLE VERNON, Pa. — A family of five has been forced out of their home and had to say goodbye to multiple pets after their chimney collapsed in on itself Saturday evening.

“I was just in complete shock,” said Jaclyn Broyles.

Broyles is a family friend of Kandie and Lewis Stiltner. She couldn’t believe it when she heard about their chimney crashing through their living room.

“They’re still in shock,” she said.

Broyles told Channel 11′s Andrew Havranek that only the 13-year-old son was home out of the family of five. He was not hurt.

But, the chimney fell into the living room onto a couch where the Stiltners’ four dogs were lying. Three of the dogs died from their injuries.

“I’m glad that he was the only one home, and he was upstairs,” Broyles said. “I’m very thankful that no humans were hurt in this.”

Even though she wasn’t hurt, Kandie Stiltner was hospitalized after having a severe panic attack. She is out of the hospital now.

The family is not able to stay at their home. For the time being, they’re staying with relatives.

Broyles said that’s why she set up a Meal Train fundraiser, in hopes of raising money for the family’s dinners for this week.

She hopes to raise enough to cover dinner for the month.

“They don’t really have any place to go or any place to make dinner or anything, so it’s just something little I wanted to do for them,” Broyles said.

There’s no word on what caused the chimney to collapse.

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