Buena Vista and Surrounding Communities Pulls Together For House Fire Victim and Her Family

Last Updated on Friday, 29 January 2016 15:46

By Michelle Taylor

On Monday, December 28 around 3 p.m., fire departments responded to 550 Industry Road in Buena Vista. Fire Departments of Buena Vista, Blythdale, Elizabeth Township, Jefferson Hills, Greenock, Sutersville, and Lincoln all responded to the call.

The Kapis house, completely engulfed in flames. Firefighters worked furiously to douse the flames.

Around 4:30 that afternoon, Lincoln's tanker was called in due to water shortage. Crews worked until about 9 p.m. that night, though the house and all its belongings could not be saved.

The house, built in 1900, was home to Joseph and Diane Kapis, parents of Joelle and Sarah. The house had been in the family for more than 40 years and at least three generations. While Diane is deceased, Joseph suffers from Alzheimer's disease and has lived in an assisted living facility since July. Sarah Kapis Ryan lives in White Oak and Joelle Kapis Holland was still residing in the home at the time it burned down.

Joelle has multiple sclerosis (MS) and was at the grocery store at the time of the fire. Two men were driving by when they saw smoke and flames pouring from the house. They stopped and banged on door to alert the residents and called 911. A neighbor called Joelle and told her she needed to come home because it was on fire. Joelle said she could see the thick black smoke filling the sky when she was a half-mile from her already-engulfed home.

Among the items lost that were most valuable to Joelle are her father’s paintings, family pictures, her parents’ wedding rings, and her mother's ashes.

Joelle is currently staying with a friend until she can make other arrangements. The Kapis sisters were planning to put the house up for sale to help offset the $5,000 a month cost for their father’s living facility. While they do have insurance, it doesn’t pay for the assisted living facility. Joelle is unable to work because of her MS and survives off of long-term disability from previous employment.

In order to help rebuild her life, as she lost everything, donations are being collected. If you would like to make a donation, please go to GoFundMe.com/mggzyjz8. As of mid-January, Joelle has received $3,130 of her $20,000 goal.