Family Left Homeless After Early Morning Blaze

Lexington, Ky. – A devastating fire engulfed the home of the Lara-Rojo family early Sunday morning, leaving them without shelter and personal belongings. The fire broke out just before 2:30 AM on Tanforan Drive, initially detected by a teenager who awakened and alerted his family.

Noemi Lara-Rojo, a relative of the affected family, recounted the frantic moments as her sister Raquel and her children escaped with only the clothes they were wearing. “My sister woke up. She was in shock. She grabbed the kids and started running out of the house,” Noemi said, describing the chaos as family members rushed to safety.

Raquel, her four children, her sister-in-law and her two children, as well as their grandmother, were forced to flee without any possessions. Now, the family faces the harsh reality of starting over after losing their home. “I just feel heartbreak. My kids, my teenager, that they lose their home. I just want to get over this,” Raquel expressed, still in disbelief over the incident.

The family has temporarily separated and is currently staying with other relatives. To help during this difficult time, they have launched a GoFundMe campaign to collect monetary donations. In addition, they are in urgent need of clothing, particularly women’s medium and large sizes, undergarments, shoes, and maternity wear, as Raquel’s sister-in-law is pregnant.

Support has poured in from the community, especially through friends of the children involved in the local Tates Creek soccer team. “Seeing our community come together…we’re very grateful for all of our community that’s helped,” Noemi stated, highlighting the outpouring of assistance.

Above all, Raquel expressed her relief that her family survived the ordeal. “I’m thankful right now that everyone is alive. We get more time,” she said, focusing on the importance of finding a new home for the family to reunite as soon as possible.

The Lara-Rojo family is now seeking a place to rent, aiming to restore a sense of normalcy in the wake of this tragedy.