ASHLAND - An Ashland woman has lost everything to a devastating fire.  She went for a walk and when she came back; her home was up in flames.

You can still hear an alarm ringing in the basement 24 hours after fire destroyed an Ashland home.  "It was fast and it was horrible," said home owner Su Neuhauser.  At 5:18 p.m. Saturday, Ashland fire fighters rushed to Neuhauser's home at 123 22nd Ave. West to find smoke and flames venting through the roof.  "In route crews reported seeing smoke blowing across U.S. Highway 2," said Ashland Fire Lieutenant Dave Wegener. 

Neuhauser says she went to take a short walk with her friend and when she returned, her world was up in flames.  "I wanted to get in and save my cat and I tried to open my front door and the smoke just overwhelmed me and I had nothing with me, I had no purse, I had no cell phone so I had to run to the closet neighbor and call 911," said Neuhauser.  But it was too late to save the home.  Lt. Wegener says the house was 75% involved when they arrived on scene.  "The fire had progressed rapidly prior to our arrival."  "I stood here for an hour and a half and just watched my whole world go up in flames," said Neuhauser.

Saturday, Neuhauser's friends were giving her support and sifting through the ashes, trying to salvage anything that's left.  "They’ve been coming around ever since they heard," said Neuhauer.  "The clean up is way beyond what friends can do, it's overwhelming." 

Fire fighters don't know where the fire started and Neuhauser doesn't understand how this could happen.  "I didn't leave anything turned on; I didn't have any fires going, no candles, nothing in the house, nothing." 

Lt. Wegener says about 23 fire fighters from Ashland, Washburn and Mason fought the blaze and were on scene for about 3 hours.  One fire fighter was treated for a minor eye injury.  The home is a total loss.  "The fire is under investigation and no cause has been determined," said Lt. Wegener.

A benefit fund has been set up in Su Neuhauser's name at Northern State Bank in Ashland.  To donate, stop in or call the bank at (715) 682–2772.