Lorain family loses everything to raging house fire

Lorain firefighters were able to contain a fire from spreading to neighboring houses Tuesday afternoon on Appleseed Drive, but they were not able to save the home of Miguel Alvarado and his family of five.

“It maybe looked like we were getting a hold of it, but then it got bad," said Steven Bajcer, Assistant Fire Chef for Lorain. The fire was so hot it melted the fence in the rear of the backyard.

“It’s quite a bit of heat coming off of there, so that might have been damned before we got there,” said Bajcer.

It was not the sight Miguel Alvarado expected to see driving down his street today.

"All I saw was the smoke and flames," said Alvarado.

Miguel, along with his wife and three kids, moved in just a couple of years ago.

"Everybody is out and safe, so I’m not worried about material stuff,” Miguel said.

The fire hit at the worst time for the children. His two boys not only lost their trophies and medals from over the years, but they also lost things they needed for a trip they were supposed to take this weekend to North Carolina, where the boys qualified to take place on the track and field team for Junior Olympics.

"Their uniforms and stuff," Miguel broke down as he told News 5 about the possibility of his boys not being able to go now. Miguel said he is hopeful the uniforms can be replaced and they can still go to the Junior Olympics.

Meanwhile, families in the neighborhood are already helping out with clothes, gift cards and more.

Still no word on what caused the fire. The state fire marshal is investigating.