New Jersey

NJ Family Helping Fire Victims Comes Home to Own House in Flames

What to Know

  • A family in New Jersey who was out helping a family who had just lost everything to a fire returned home to their own house up in smoke
  • Dom and Tiffany Galluzzo said they returned to their Saddle Brook home to see flames shooting from the roof after they had gone shopping
  • Dom Galluzzo said he plans to rebuild the family’s home, but it could take a year to finish the work

A New Jersey family helping neighbors who lost everything in a fire came home to find their own house ablaze earlier this week.

Dom and Tiffany Galluzzo said they returned to their Saddle Brook home to see flames shooting from the roof just 20 minutes after leaving to grocery shop and deliver things to a neighbor who was put out by a fire just days earlier.

"All I kept thinking was my dogs are in the basement in a cage of a burning home," Tiffany Galluzzo said.

Luckily, firefighters were able to rescue the dogs, but the Galluzzo’s likewise lost everything. But now, they too are without most of their belongings and wondering when they’ll be able to go home.

But they didn’t stop worrying about their neighbors, even stopping by Wednesday to check back in on them.

"They stopped by today, very nice," said Kathy Costoro. "Checked our house and checked their house. They were worried about us as well."

Now, others in the neighborhood are in turn offering help for the Galluzos. Costoro offered to return their donations -- but the couple turned them down. And a friend started a GoFundMe fundraiser for the couple that has already topped $15,000.

“(The support) has been overwhelming,” said Dom Galluzzo.

He added that he plans to rebuild the family’s home, but it could take a year to finish the work.

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