Family Struggles after Apartment Fire Destroys Everything

By: Kristin Bauer - Email

Updated: Sat 10:53 PM, Nov 24, 2012

A young mother, father and two kids. One day, one cigarette and everything is gone.

On Thursday, November 22, a fire started on Brittany Leutzinger and Danny Sutton's deck.

They lived in Southwood Village near South 27 Street. The fire destroyed the entire building, which had eighteen units-- seventeen of those were occupied.

Authorities say the cause was a cigarette. The couple wasn't home at the time of the fire, but they lost everything.

To make matters worse, they are still waiting to see if their insurance company will cover their loss.

"It's kind of ironic that it happened on Thanksgiving," said Leutzinger. We're just thankful that we have each other. Given the situation... we've lost everything that we've worked so hard to get."

The couple was struggling with finances and a new baby. A late payment may have cost them everything.

"I was unemployed when I was pregnant," said Leutzinger. "We've been pretty much playing catch up."

Right now, they're staying at a hotel provided by the American Red Cross.

They still haven't been placed into a new apartment.

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