SANDY, Ore.- Fire destroyed a Sandy home Sunday, but its owner did little to stop the blaze.

KGW

Sandy firefighters work to put out a house fire. It was intentionally set for them to use as practice.

Renee Hanes allowed the Sandy Fire Department to intentionally torch the building. She called it her dream house when she and her sons moved in back in 2002. But soon afterwards, the family began getting sick, including nausea and respiratory problems. They soon discovered the house was full of toxic mold.

Hanes sued the home’s builder, Adair Homes. A jury awarded the family $540,000. It was one of the first jury verdicts on mold in the northwest.

KGW

The family moved to Spokane, which has a dryer climate, on a doctor’s advice. However, the house was still standing. Haynes decided it was best to allow firefighters to destroy the home, and use it as a training fire.

"This way we know that nobody will have a mold problem with this house in the future,” she said.

However, her problems aren’t finished. She continues to get sick following exposure to the mold.

"Seems like I get a foothold and then I get sick again,” she said. "I'm not where I should be."