Memories are all that remain for one Keota family

A Keota family will be covered head to toe in soot this weekend.  They're cleaning out what's left of their belongings after a fire destroyed their home on North Ellis Street.

Sifting through the charred rubble, the Lanes are reminded they're lucky to be alive.  What if someone driving by hadn't rang their doorbell early Sunday morning?

"I got about halfway to the door, and they started pounding. So, I figured it was something really bad,” says Rob Lane.

The vacant house next door was on fire, and the flames were quickly consuming their home.  Rob and his 16-year-old daughter Brittany got out safely. Everything but a few family photo albums fell victim to the flames.

"It's kind of tough. There are a lot of memories here,” says Rob.

Brittany misses the little things, like her old Scooby Doo stuffed animal she took everywhere as a child.

"It was basically like a security blanket to me,” says Brittany.

Now she and her dad are clinging to the community for support after losing both homes. They never lived in the home on their property that caught fire.  Instead, they built their own home there about five years ago.

"We built it for my mom because she was handicapped,” says Brittany.

Brittany's mom, Pearl, had diabetes and needed a motorized scooter to get around.

"We were about halfway through building, and she passed away,” says Rob.

Rob and Brittany continued construction according to plan. Their next home won't have the wider doors or the handicapped-accessible bathroom, but it will include a few memories of mom.

"Definitely keep the kitchen the same color. It was yellow because that is what my mom wanted it to be,” says Brittany.

She and her dad will rebuild where her mom grew up, where Pearl always wanted to be...in Keota close to family and friends.

The Lanes are living with family for the time being. Community members have placed donation cans throughout Keota and are trying to set up a fund through a local bank.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

By Claire Kellett, KCRG-TV