Family loses everything in fire

PERKINS TWP. — A Sandusky family is seeking assistance after losing everything to a fire recently. Kierston Earp's family needs help after their car and RV were completely destroyed. Just before noon on Saturday, first responders were called to the westbound lanes of the Ohio Turnpike in Brady Township, Williams County, for the report of a vehicle fire. When they arrived, they found a Chrysler Pacifica minivan and motorhome that were completely engulfed in flames. Both vehicles, one being the family's home, were complete losses. The Earps had a large family home but fell behind on payments when Jason Earp lost his job, Kierston said. The family decided to use their recreational vehicle as their home and moved to the Sandusky RV Resort on Milan Road. Kierston said living at the resort was amenable to their lifestyle. Since the fire, the Red Cross, the resort and Kierston's mother have been helping the family. Earp set up a fundraiser at the crowdfunding website GoFundMe. The fund can be found by searching "Rebuilding Hope for Kierston's Family After Fire." As of late Wednesday, the fund has raised more than $250 of its $1,600 goal. "People are saying it's a scam," said Kierston, referencing one online commenter who claimed the video was stolen from another incident. "It's not a scam." The Register independently obtained the Ohio State Highway Patrol incident report that confirmed the incident's occurrence and lists the family members as those involved. The fire The Earp family planned a three-week vacation in which they planned to visit multiple Six Flags parks. Their first stop was Jason's brother's house in Indiana, but they never made it out of the state. After a passing motorist alerted Jason to the fire, he pulled over about 20 miles east of the Ohio/Indiana state line. The van's transmission overheated and caught the vehicle on fire. The fire then spread to the RV. Kierston got all seven of their kids out of the burning RV and walked them down the shoulder a safe distance and called 911. Meanwhile, Jason attempted to extinguish the blaze but his fire extinguisher was not large enough. Next, he attempted to unhook the van, but the connecting bolts were already too hot. Kierston then returned to attempt to rescue the family's three pets: cats named Scout and Minnie and a Chihuahua named Chewy. Kierston said Chewy does not like when the RV is in motion and will hide under a bed. She was unable to save any of the animals. Kierston is a 2015 Edison High School graduate. Her husband, Jason, is an Illinois native, but has been in Ohio since about 2009.