An early morning fire Nov. 23 destroyed the home of Dennis and Jill Rupp, 6197 Hunters Hill Road, Heidelberg Township.

Jill Rupp spoke with The Press Nov. 25 at what remains of her home.

Her husband Dennis, a contractor, built the house in which they have lived for 33 years.

"I was not home when the fire broke out," she said. "My mother, who is blind, wanted to do her Christmas cards, so I joined my sister at my mother's house to help her address her cards. We made it a girls' night.

Her husband was three hours away hunting at the family cabin.

Their two sons are grown and no longer live at home. Jim Rupp lives in Quakertown and Cole Barthold resides in Altanta, Ga.

Rupp said when she arrived home sometime between 6-6:30 a.m., the fire was pretty well out.

"We lost everything except for some dishes and a box of Ritz crackers in a kitchen cabinet," she explained. "We are all doing good. I am going shopping today for clothes. I have no work clothes."

Since the fire, she has been staying in a hotel in Fogelsville. Her husband, who returned home briefly after the fire, has gone back hunting.

He has been calling her every hour to check on her and will return from hunting Nov. 27.

Rupp, who has been a secretary for the last 40 years at St. Luke's Hospital, Bethlehem, said she and her husband will be moving into her mother-in-law's house, which is for sale in Germansville.

"I just want to thank everyone for being there for Dennis and me," Rupp said. "Everyone has been so generous and unbelievable."

"Partners In Education at Northwestern Elementary School has invited me to go through the clothing they collected from their clothing drive before they ship out the clothes," she told The Press Tuesday.

Germansville Fire Chief Jay Scheffler spoke with The Press Tuesday morning.

Scheffler said some 40 volunteer firefighters from Germansville, New Tripoli, Neffs, Schnecks-ville, Weisenberg, Lynn-port and Fogelsville fire departments, along with personnel from Northwestern and Macungie ambulance corps responded to the 4:43 a.m. fire.

"There was no one home at the time of the fire and there were no animals inside," he said. "Everything was a total loss. The wind accelerated the fire."

Scheffler said the fire was called under control about 6:43 a.m.

State Police Cpl. William Brett is investigating the cause of the fire and where it started, Scheffler said.

Anyone wanting to donate to the Rupp family may log on to germansvillefirest10.org and click on "fire recovery fund for Dennis and Jill Rupp" under news headlines.