SOUTHGATE, Mich. (WXYZ) — Bob and Kathy Wood lost everything when the house next door exploded on April 3, 2025 — their home, all three of their cats, and their beloved neighbor. More than a year later, a new home is finally taking shape on their lot in Southgate, thanks to a local building company and a wave of community support.
The couple's insurance-funded temporary housing ran out Thursday, leaving them in a race to close a financial gap between what their insurance will cover and what it will cost to rebuild.
Watch Carli Petrus' video report below:
"We thought they'd put the fire out and we'd be able to go in and get our cats, but we were sadly mistaken. The fire spread to our house and burnt it down," Bob Wood said.
Kathy Wood said the family is now pushing their insurance company to help bridge that gap.
"So, we're at the point now where we're going to be contacting them and telling them can you please negotiate with us to help us narrow this gap down," Kathy Wood said.
Cassie Higgins and her husband, Mark, owners of Landmark Building, stepped in to take on the project. The goal is straightforward: replace the couple's home.
"They're not looking out here for a mansion, they want to replace their 1,100-square-foot (home)," Cassie Higgins said.
They are not doing it alone. Local businesses, neighbors and tradespeople are donating materials, labor and services. The entire roof has already been covered, and flooring has been donated.
"The entire community keeps providing in ways I think that just keep blowing our minds," Cassie Higgins said.
Watch our previous coverage about the explosion below:
For the Higginses, the project is about more than construction.
"I don't know one person that doesn't feel frozen by the way life is these days. Stuck, lost a little bit, you know, and if you get a chance to see clearly through someone else's fog and snatch them up out of it, Merry Christmas," Cassie Higgins said.
For the Woods, it is a chance to close a chapter that began with tragedy.
"Just the thought of going home," Bob Wood said.
"Yes," Kathy Wood said.
"Every once in a while, I hear these songs on the radio that sing about going home and I want to be able to sing that song," Bob said.
When asked if he wanted to sing it inside his new home, both Bob and Kathy Wood said yes.
The couple still has a way to go before they can walk through the front door. But after more than a year of waiting, they can finally see that day taking shape.
If you are interested in helping the Wood family build their new home, you can go to the website created by Landmark Building to help fund the project.
—————
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
