Young dad sees 'dream home' destroyed by fire on first night moved in

HIGHLANDS, Texas (KTRK) -- A young, veteran father and his toddler son are without a place to live after an overnight fire burned in what the dad called his "dream home."

Joseph Deanda and his 18-month-old child were able to escape the fire in the 2200 block of Harris before 3 a.m. Friday.

Deanda says he heard a loud pop and an explosion and saw smoke and fire before getting out.

"Heard a large, loud shock or shot or something. So I got up to check the house to make sure everything was okay," Deanda recalled. "I didn't see anything, so I went to lay back on the couch. Within a couple of minutes the house was full of smoke so I grabbed my son and walked out. I ran out actually!"

Deanda purchased the home two months ago and was in the middle of moving in. He says his final belongings were brought in the day before the fire and that this was his first night sleeping in the home.

He added that he was in the process of getting insurance, but he is not sure if his policy is active.

There were no injuries reported in the fire. The cause is under investigation.

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