[VIDEO & PHOTOS BELOW] Touring what’s left of his home after a devastating fire, Lakewood resident Reb Mordechai Thaler kept saying one thing – “Baruch Hashem nobody was injured – a home can be replaced.”

The fire on Erev Shabbos completely destroyed his home, and nearly all of its contents, and this morning he was still rummaging through the ashes to see what he could salvage – which wasn’t much. Clothing, furniture, books, a Talis and Tefillin – everything was burned or destroyed by water.

Among the ashes, he found some family pictures, though most were destroyed.

“We’ll be like the couple who married in the 50s and 60s who just have a couple of photos,” he said.

Nearly every inch of the recently-renovated home was covered in ashes, including the bedroom a family member was sleeping in at the time the fire started.

“This is where he was sleeping,” Reb Mordechai pointed out to us. “There used to be a cabinet here – there’s nothing left of it.”

Luckily, a fire safe containing valuables were saved, and other documents which he removed for use, were also saved.

This morning Reb Mordechai came out publicly to thank the Ribono Shel Olam, and the entire community for the tremendous amount of support he and his family received following the fire.

“Chasdei Hashem Ki Lo Samnu Ki Lo Chalu Rachamov,” he said.

——————————

This content, and any other content on TLS, may not be republished or reproduced without prior permission from TLS.

Copying or reproducing our content is both against the law and against Halacha.

To inquire about using our content, including videos or photos, email us at [email protected]

Stay up to date via our news alerts, by sending ‘follow LakewoodScoop’ to the number ‘40404’ or via Twitter @LakewoodScoop 

Got news? Email us at [email protected], text us 415-857-2667, tweet us @LakewoodScoop.

KPICASA_GALLERY(6301612579417865233#)

—————

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=293o–biyMw