WESTHAMPTON — About five years ago, Jonathan Albitz said Sunday, lightning struck his family’s Westhampton home on South Road near Town Hall. The damage was serious, but fixable, he said.
On Saturday night, another brutal life twist: while Albitz, his wife Alyson and the couple’s two children were away, fire again ripped through the house, this time rendering it a total loss.
“Unfortunately we’ve been through this before,” Jonathan Albitz said. “It’s kind of crazy. But such is life.”
This time, the family lost one of their dogs, Bell, a 3-year-old rescue. Westhampton Fire Chief Christopher Norris said the dog died of smoke inhilation.
“She was spunky, you know, a little baby,” Albitz said. “Super sweet. Just tons of fun. My kids’ best friend.”
Buddy, another rescue dog, and the family’s two cats, Peep and Ochie, were able to escape the fire alive, Albitz said.
Investigators said Sunday a wood stove sparked the fire. The fire broke out at about 10:30 p.m. Saturday, Norris said.
Norris said firefighters were alerted by neighbors at around 10:30 p.m. and found the house engulfed when they arrived at the scene three minutes after being dispatched.
In a Facebook post, Norris wrote that freezing temperatures and lack of a municipal water supply complicated the response.
He said the fire was under control at about 3 a.m.
Norris said the home’s fire alarm system worked properly but the home lacked a sprinkler suppression system.
Emergency crews from Williamsburg, Chesterfield, Huntington, Southampton and Easthampton were called in to assist the Westhampton Fire Department in putting out the flames.
Jonathan Albitz said his family has been inundated Sunday with support from family and friends.
“We’ve been surrounded with a lot of love and support all day today,” he said. “So it’s helped a lot.”
He said in the coming days the family would take stock of the losses and work with insurers.
Sunday afternoon, Albitz said his family was getting ready to watch the Superbowl with extended family.
“That’s our saving grace, our distraction tonight,” he said. “So we’re excited.”
Jack Suntrup can be reached at jsuntrup@gazettenet.com.