Young parents in need of home after losing everything in south Lubbock house fire

LUBBOCK, Texas — A Lubbock family needs donations for a new home quickly after theirs burned down Friday evening in south Lubbock, just a week before their newborn baby is due.

21-year-old David Martinez, 19-year-old Mariah Rodriguez and their son lived in a trailer that caught fire. Thankfully, they were not home at the time.

Rodriguez was with family while Martinez was at work when they first heard about their house.

“She basically told me that my husband called and said that the house was on fire,” Rodriguez said.

“When I got home everything was already on fire, there was no way for me to get clothes,” Martinez said. “I was worried. I ended up telling them that basically the only person that could be in there, I mean not a person, was my dog.”

Rodriguez said they were hoping their dog got out beforehand and that he was safe somewhere outside the trailer, but that wasn’t the case.

“We did find out that he did pass away in the fire. But that was the only thing that was on our mind, everything else was replaceable,” Rodriguez said.

Rodriguez said the family had two baby showers just this past week and received everything they needed for the baby, but sadly it was all lost in the fire.

Everything was replaced within days by members of the Lubbock community who donated plenty of clothes for the entire family and all the necessities for their baby girl after losing everything in the fire.

Martinez and Rodriguez said they couldn’t have been more grateful for everyone who contributed.

“I never expected it, you know and it’s from strangers,” Martinez said. “I appreciate you and everybody and I’m grateful to have people like y’all.”

While the family is good on clothes and items for their baby girl, they still need a home to bring the baby to Monday morning. The couple recently just moved in to their trailer which was purchased by family. They did not have home insurance.

“What we really need as of right now is just donations on our GoFundMe to help us get into another house at least something that we could use for a down payment on the house or a deposit fee just to help us get back on our feet into another home before she gets here is what we were hoping, so before next Monday,” Rodriguez said.

For the family’s GoFundMe, click here.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

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