House burns to ground; problems with NIPSCO

ELKHART, Ind. – On Oct. 7 an Elkhart woman and her husband lost everything they owned
in a fire that burned their house practically to the ground. 

Now they are trying to demolish what's left of the house, so they can rebuild and start picking up the pieces to their life, but a gas company is getting in their way

Flames ripped through Karen Schawlm's house leaving her and her husband homeless.

“It started on the other side of the house shot through the house and just completely took everything with it,” said Schawlm.

Schawlm and her husband have already had to go through Thanksgiving without their home.

“I can’t imagine losing it at anytime of the year and to lose it at this time is bad,” said Schawlm.

So they are in a hurry to demolish their ruined home so they can begin rebuilding  a new house in the same spot, but something unexpected is getting in their way.

This gas meter needs to be removed before they can begin demolition.

“But NIPSCO just will not respond.  Our house burned on Oct. 7 and we are still waiting and they are still telling us it is going to be a couple more weeks,” said Schawlm.

But Schawlm said she does not have a few more weeks.  With Christmas right around the corner and the cold setting in, she wants to begin rebuilding her life right away.

“I am afraid the weather is going to get bad before the demolition gets started and i want the house rebuilt soon. I want to come home,” said Schawlm. 

NIPSCO representatives said currently they are investigating the reason why it was postponed, but they will be there Tuesday to remove the gas meter.