Jefferson City family asks for help after fire destroys home

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ.)

A Jefferson City family has lost almost everything after a portable generator exploded and destroyed their home. 

The family is now asking for help from the community.

"I'm not a good person to ask for things, I don't like to ask for help, but I have to let it go and realize I need to ask for help right now," Tonya Roth said.

Roth was drinking a glass of water when she heard a pop at 3 a.m. A portable generator Roth that was charging had exploded twice. 

Roth made the decision to risk her life and run past the flames to save her disabled husband, who was sleeping. 

"I gotta get beyond this fire. I've got to get to him. I don't care what happens to me. I've got to get to him. And I did," Roth said.

In the process of saving her husband, Roth suffered first- and third-degree burns. Her husband made it out without any injury.

Roth's daughter, Barbara Myers-Pressley -- who served four years in the army -- is asking for the community to help. Both her parents are disabled and are unable to help her with this process. 

"They're going to need clothes, they're going to need medication, they're going to need rides to places, "Myers-Pressley said. "It's just the basic thing you can think of all of that completely stripped away from you, so we are starting from the ground up."

Anyone interested in helping the family can click here.