BETTENDORF, Iowa -- A Pleasant Valley family is displaced after a garage fire damaged their already-flooded home early Wednesday morning.
Homeowner Crystal Hackett said she first got wind of it when she heard her husband screaming.
"It was already so massive," said Hackett. "I was yelling at him, 'Do something!' and I couldn't believe... that he actually went out there and tried to use the damn hose off the deck, and I saw behind where he was standing and how it was melting, and we're really lucky to be here."
The fire broke out around 1:20 a.m. on 179th Street, near Spencer Creek. The home is just south of Great River Road, which was partially blocked off because of flooding in the area.
Hackett tells News 8 the high flood waters made it difficult for firefighters to put out the flames, but also made it tough for the family to escape.
"They couldn't come get us," she said, "it took quite awhile for the boats to get out. The Bettendorf Fire Department was awesome, they made sure the house was okay first, and they fired back to let us know because we were really on edge about it. We're very lucky, we're very thankful. That's minor compared to what could have happened. We still have home, we still have each other, and even our brats."
The couple, their daughter and two dogs are now staying at the Woodspring Suites Hotel in Davenport. The Woodspring Suites and the new Hyatt Place Hotel in East Moline are offering discounted rates for area flood victims.
