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Tragedy Strikes Grieving Woman Again When Lightning Ignites Her Lemont Home

(CBS) – Lightning ignited flames that destroyed a Lemont home Wednesday -- the latest in a string of tragedies for the woman who lived there.

CBS 2's Suzanne Le Mignot reports.

Smoke was still rising from what remains of Melanie Dennis' house. In four years, her two daughters died, and one of her daughter's ashes was inside the home.

One of three family dogs also died in the blaze. Dennis lost everything she and her husband owned. They are contract workers at the Citgo refinery.

"I just moved everything in the house last Friday. I hadn't even had time to get renters insurance," she said Thursday.

Dennis was keeping it all in perspective, however.

"This is just temporary. We're just here to learn. My faith is in God and I know that He's here and I know He's a real and I know that my God is bigger than anything else and He'll take care of us," she said.

Total strangers and the Lemont Fire Department are offering help. She's humbled, saying the only thing she needs is a new home to rent.

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