A family’s nightmare: NJ dad loses house, then is nearly killed trying to rebuild

🔥A Pleasantville father of 10 lost his home in a devastating fire early Tuesday morning

🔥Hours later, he was struck by a car while carrying donated items for his family

🔥Loved ones have launched a GoFundMe to help the family rebuild their lives

PLEASANTVILLE — On Tuesday, a father of 10 saw his family's home destroyed by fire. Hours later, he was seriously injured while crossing a street.

The Pleasantville Fire Department says a fire started before dawn at the single-family home on Wesley Avenue that took firefighters three hours to bring under control and left a hole in the roof. Ten people were displaced, according to fire officials and the New Jersey Red Cross.

Several hours later, Roberto Vidanos-Martinez, 32, was seriously injured after being struck by a vehicle at the intersection of New Road and Park Avenue. Vidanos-Martinez was taken to AtlantiCare Hospital-Atlantic City Medical Division. No charges have been filed as the crash remains under investigation.

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Helping a family rebuild

The victim's wife told 6 ABC Action News that Vidanos-Martinez was struck by a car while carrying items donated to his family. The man known as "Peto the Barber" suffered two broken legs, a broken pelvis, a fractured spine and a broken left arm.

The group Angels in Motion-Atlantic County has been gathering donations of clothing and gift cards to help the family.  One of the couple's daughters created a  GoFundMe campaign to help with the family's recovery and described the minutes that changed their lives.

"In just minutes, everything we owned was gone — our clothes, furniture, memories, and all the things that made our house feel like home. We were lucky to make it out safely, but it’s heartbreaking to lose everything so suddenly. Right now, we’re just trying to find a way to get back on our feet, especially for the little ones who are scared and confused," Ashley Martinez wrote.

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