The Gridley family walked away from the charred remains of their Burbank home with nothing but the clothes on their backs and a box of family pictures.
Though the Sunday morning blaze that engulfed their house on Main Street left them with almost nothing, the Gridleys are finding solace in a community that has rallied to lend them support.
"We have a lot of people helping us," said Tracey Gridley, 51. "The people in Burbank have been great. We are well taken care of."
When firefighters arrived at the split-level home at 3:20 a.m., almost 75 percent of it was consumed by flames.
Taylor Gridley, 19, and a friend were playing on a computer when they smelled smoke and saw flames in the kitchen. Taylor woke his parents, Tracey and Jerry. Lilly Gridley, 15, was staying with a friend and wasn't home at the time.
Once they were safely outside, the Gridleys realized the smallest member of their family, a Pug named Pugsley, was trapped inside.
Firefighters from the Walla Walla Fire District 5 found Pugsley in a downstairs bedroom hiding in about three inches of water.
"He was excited to get out of there," said Chief Mike Wickstrom.
Wickstrom said the cause of the fire is still being investigated, though it appears it started in the kitchen. Fire engines from the Pasco Fire Department and Franklin County Fire District 3 also helped.
The fire collapsed the roof and water flooded the downstairs, leaving the Gridleys with no chance of resurrecting the house that had been in their family since 1972.
Within hours, the Burbank community banded together to get them the essentials needed to survive the next few days. People and businesses donated food, clothing and toiletries. The Red Cross put the family up in a Kennewick hotel while they look for temporary housing.
"We lost everything," Tracey Gridley said. "Everybody is right here to help us. We still have our moments. I have broken down a couple times. You can't really grasp it until it happens to you."
Family friend Shauna Guajardo saw the outpouring of support from the Burbank community and its effect on her friends.
"By the time they left (Sunday) night they had toothbrushes and underwear," she said. "The things we take for granted. I am overwhelmed by the generosity."
Guajardo helped set up an account in the family's name at Gesa Credit Union where people can donate to help the Gridleys.
Anyone wanting to donate items to the family can call 509-430-4969.
Tracey Gridley, who works for Benton County, said the family will have to turn their attention to rebuilding their lives from scratch. Instead of looking at the negative, she said they are grateful that all they lost were possessions.
"Yes, we lost our home, but home is where the heart is," she said. "We are staying upbeat."
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