Florida Homeowner Claims His Roof Collapsed on Christmas Eve

TAMPA, Fla. — A Seminole Heights family lost their home after their roof collapsed while workers were replacing it.

A pile of rubble is what remains of what had been the happy home Victoria Sowell shared with her military veteran husband, Casey, and their son and daughter.

Courtesy of Victoria Sowell

The historic Seminole Heights bungalow was damaged by Hurricane Milton in October.

Courtesy of Victoria Sowell

The roof needed to be repaired in time for Christmas. Instead, the house was destroyed.

WFT

“She thought she was going to have a new roof for Christmas, and now they’re homeless,” neighbor Ariel Pitcher said.

Pitcher took photos and videos as the roof began to collapse.

Victoria and Casey were inside while the roofers worked.

Courtesy: Ariel Pitcher

“We started hearing cracking noises and I started shouting, ‘Stop! Stop!'” Victoria said. “The roofs came in and said, ‘Oh my God.’

ABC Action News’ Adam Walser met with Victoria near her mother’s house, where she is temporarily staying.

It’s dozens of miles from her child’s school and the VA hospital where Casey works.

Victoria said she and her husband had to escape their home through a bathroom window when it happened on Monday.

“Thank God the kids weren’t home,” Pitcher said. “No one was hurt.”

Police, firefighters and law enforcement arrived to help, but the house was already boarded up.

“I’m really sad and devastated by what happened, especially two days before Christmas with two young children,” Pitcher said.

The house was demolished on Christmas Eve to prevent it from collapsing on a neighbor’s house and causing no one to be injured.

The Sowells have not yet been able to contact their insurance agent.

“It’s Christmas, so we’re in a waiting phase,” Victoria said. “We are literally taking one step at a time.”

The family is now trying to figure out what happens next.

“We’ve been giving each other lots of cuddles and focusing on the fact that we’re all safe and it’s just a house,” Victoria said. “What matters is that we are all together.”

Neighbors and relatives have created a Go-Fund-Me page to help the family meet their immediate needs.

Victoria says she’s lived in Seminole Heights for more than a decade and has received an outpouring of love from her neighbors.

“Everyone has been really supportive, which is amazing,” Victoria said. “I love my community and it’s sad to no longer have a home in the community, but we will find a solution.”