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Town rallies behind disabled veteran who lost home in fire

Investigators said the blaze started when a vehicle caught fire in the garage

Associated Press

GRANBY, Mass. — A small western Massachusetts town is rallying behind a Marine veteran severely injured while serving in Afghanistan whose custom-built home was made uninhabitable by fire the day after Christmas.

Sgt. Joshua Bouchard, who uses a wheelchair after losing part of a leg and suffering a spinal cord injury in an explosion in 2009, saved himself and his two dogs when he realized his Granby home was on fire Monday night.

Bouchard was treated for smoke inhalation.

The home was built by volunteers with the nonprofit Homes for Our Troops program.

A GoFundMe.com page set up by Bouchard’s sister had raised almost $14,000 by Wednesday.

Bouchard says he has been through so much the fire “didn’t stress me out much.”

Investigators say the blaze started when a vehicle caught fire in the garage.

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