In this family vlog, Victor Justin Rhodes and his relatives recount the chaotic aftermath of a deep‑fried grease fire that damaged their farmhouse and cabin. The fire triggered extensive smoke and fire‑extinguisher residue, prompting a professional restoration crew to begin cleanup. The family split their night between the farmhouse and Grandma’s house, dealing with cold temperatures, limited utilities, and the loss of personal items. They discuss moving large belongings—including a freezer, boxes, a sauna, and a cold plunge—into a container and clearing the barn for an upcoming dance. Insurance negotiations are highlighted, with a $2,500 deductible and estimates exceeding $10,000, and the timeline for full restoration stretches from an initially promised two weeks to potentially two months. Throughout, the vlog captures the logistical challenges, emotional responses, and family coordination required to survive and eventually return to their home.
Chapters
Yeah, we had to camp out in the farmhouse last night. Or should I say, we got to camp out in the farmhouse last night. But this is where my coat was. It's like 28 degrees out here. I guess we'll do this. Turn these back around. They're poop-free and we're on time. They didn't lay in the floor. What do you think I got for you? Ah, I should have put this up last night. Our main house The Holler House is under construction.
No!
I could have sworn my jacket was in one of the cars. Today is not the day to be without the jacket. We have been staying in the cabin on farm until this deep-fried grease fire yesterday. Ooh, the funky smell. The restoration crew cleaned up a lot of this fire extinguisher dust, and unfortunately it went everywhere. Thankfully everyone's okay. The kids put it just out just fine with a fire hydrant, and that's our mess. It's a huge mess and has to be professionally cleaned up. I've already given myself permission not to get a whole lot done today. Today's project is surviving in the farmhouse and getting back into the cabin. I was sleeping at Grandma's. Good. We divided and slept last night. Boys at Grandma's, us in the farmhouse. Hey, at least we have running water and electricity. When my dad, Pop-Paw, grew up here, 4 brothers and sisters, so just like y'all, but no running water or electricity. No complaining. Are we gonna move in tonight? I think we get to move back into the cabin. They're gonna deep clean it today. You guys stay up late with your daddy? No? Project today, since we just found out The cleaner— deep cleaners aren't coming till tomorrow. We're in the farmhouse another day. We need to clean out this container anyway to get some stuff out of the people barn. You have to use these for jumps. Okay, good. Put them behind the container. There are a bunch of boxes in the farmhouse where we're gonna have to stay another night and maybe another night after that. Hey, let's have a pile that goes to the shed. Some of this is going to go to our container over at the house. Lily, put that in a pile to go to our farm supply stuff. Do you need that many jumps?
Well, we could always use them.
Well, Stack them neat. Getting a freezer out. We're gonna need it for Stud. He's probably 600 pounds just of ground beef. Found the boxing gloves. I don't think we should bring it in there yet, guys. Let's leave it open to Aaron. Those freezers were a lot of the space. Fun homes for this stuff. Okay. Wow, we did it! Let's go get everything out of the farmhouse. So we can be more comfortable. We're gonna clear it out. I'm so excited. For one, I'll get my studio back. Two, we'll be able to live in here more comfortably. Look how big this living room is though. I know. Jonah's tidying up in here. Mom's calling insurance claims. Gideon, let's go unload this trailer. I'm not even sure how we fit all this stuff in the— Hey, I hope you don't break the light. Empty trailer, and I believe we have room for our sauna and cold plunge. We've got a dance coming up that we've got to clear the barn for. Look who it is! Hey Justin!
Hey Gideon!
Restoration company's back. There's some burn damage.
Oh yeah.
I came in, there was smoke in the back. I didn't know if it was fire extinguisher or smoke.
Yeah, so there's probably— there's smoke in here, it's probably gone through most of the house.
Okay.
So you just clean everything? Is that how it goes?
I don't know if you heard that, but he just said 2 weeks. Bruh. He's got us clean every square inch.
It smelled last night.
I'll be honest with you.
It smells. It's smoke. That's a smoke smell. That's not that fire extinguisher.
Because we didn't know what that— we didn't— like, when I looked in, all I saw was the fire extinguisher mask, and I was like, we can't clean this up.
It'll get everywhere and you just won't see it. So until we start to really get into it, it goes a lot farther than what you think. I guess we're not going to be eating this.
You want some green beans? On the phone with the insurance company. $2,500 deductible. The man is saying it's going to cost over $10,000. Nice. We actually had to go in town on errands. We're about to go to Grandma's. Uh, Lily has made us dinner up there. Austin, cut them to the iPhone footage. It's gonna be more than 2 weeks. Why is it gone from 2 weeks to 2 months?
He thought that it would take 2 weeks to get the estimates and all the things, and then all the stuff has to be like cleaned and they have to— I mean, they're already taking the cabinets out.
When are they gonna start cleaning? Because I feel like we ought to go through there and get anything we don't want.
The first adjuster I talked to said at some point like we're not gonna clean certain things because it costs more money to clean them.
Okay.
And it costs less money to just buy them. I'm having a hard time saying like it's ruined because of the smoke, but I didn't even call the restoration company for the smoke. I called them for the fire extinguisher.
Oh, I know.
And now— he knew.
The restoration guy knew. But it's right. There's a smell in there and that's— it's that smoke. Rebecca, on the bright side, they have painted your house. Anything that's not factory sealed has to be replaced, like foods. So all our spices, because it could have gotten the fire hydrant, and that means all our supplements. Cleaned up the kitchen very nicely. Your new bedroom for a little while, just before we thought we couldn't get any closer as a family. Happy day, y'all.
