A Westmoreland County man lost his home in a fire in Cook Township on Sunday afternoon.

The pops of ammunition exploding could be heard going off as the fire burned for hours along Hoods Mill Road. Firefighters appeared to work defensively, keeping it from spreading into the forest.

"It's weird to see it's still burning, but I guess that's all they can really do right now with the way it came in on itself," said John Lohr, the son of the man who lived in the home, Larry Lohr. He also built the home; John grew up in it. 

As he raced to the scene, he wasn't sure if his father was okay.

"It was tough. That was definitely tough. I was just hoping for the best. I said a few prayers, and I was glad to see he's okay when I got here," Lohr said.

With no hydrants nearby, crews pulled water from a nearby creek.

"He unfortunately didn't have any insurance on the house, and it's a total loss," Lohr said. 

His father was left with just the clothes on his back. He's also a big fisherman and hunter, accounting for the ammunition in the home, which was exploding.

"He kind of sticks to himself. He's been through a lot, and it's really unfortunate," John Lohr said. "I know he wouldn't want to talk to anybody, because he's a proud guy. He doesn't want to ask for help."

Help at this moment, however, is exactly what he needs.

Lohr said his father told him the fire started, and the flames quickly grew, in the five minutes it took his father to go to the mailbox and back at the end of their long driveway. Lohr said his father had an electric heater inside the home, which was on when the fire started.

"It's surreal, you know? A lot of memories, but maybe these things happen; all you can do is move forward," Lohr said.