Amanda Hart : “20 People, 10 Pets Survive Tazewell County Fire”

Tazewell County (25News Now) – A family of twenty individuals, primarily from the same family, managed to escape unharmed from a fire that broke out in Tazewell County late on Tuesday night.

The incident occurred at the residence of Amanda and Josh Hart on Cypress Point in Country Club Estates, situated between Pekin and Groveland. Samantha Besco, Amanda Hart’s sister, recounted how she noticed smoke in the front foyer, followed by flickering lights and popping sounds that culminated in explosions.

The fire ravaged the attached garage and destroyed a sport utility vehicle parked outside the Hart residence.

Fortunately, all seven adults and thirteen children, ranging from eight months to seventeen years old, managed to escape the blaze unscathed. With the assistance of Pekin firefighters, four dogs and six cats were also safely evacuated, including four week-and-a-half old kittens. Sumer Besco, another sister, performed CPR to save one of the kittens, while firefighters provided oxygen to another.

The family suspects that an electrical issue in the garage may have triggered the fire. 25News has contacted the Pekin Fire Department to ascertain the exact cause of the incident.

Currently, the Harts and five of their six children are temporarily residing in a hotel while seeking foster homes for their pets.

In response to the tragedy, Besco and a family friend have set up a GoFundMe page to aid the Harts in rebuilding their lives.

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