EMMONS — The father of the Emmons family whose home was badly damaged by fire earlier this week said the family may not have had insurance after all to cover their losses.

Shane Goskeson said he and his wife, Shannon, were buying the house at 706 Knoll Road on a contract for deed and were a month behind on their insurance payment.

Goskeson said the payment was due in the beginning of June, but they had not made the payment on time. They received a letter from Farmer’s Mutual in Manchester stating they must make the payment before the end of the day on July 3 or the policy would be canceled.

He said his wife turned in the payment in the business’s drop box after business hours before the Third of July Parade, but the payment was not processed until Monday, a day after the fire.

Though an insurance adjuster came out to the house to survey the damage on Monday — making the family think the insurance was still in place — Goskeson said company representatives are now saying the payment was not made in time and therefore the house was not insured.

“We’re basically homeless,” Goskeson said on Wednesday.

The fire caused extensive damage on the lower level of the home — where the fire began — and caused smoke damage in the remainder.

Authorities believe the fire started from acetone that had been placed on the floor to soften carpet glue. The fumes from the acetone were ignited by the pilot light in the basement.

The Goskesons and their five children safely evacuated the house, but five cats died in the blaze. A sixth cat was later discovered alive.

Goskeson said he planned to contact the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office for help.

A lawyer for the insurance company declined to comment on the matter, stating the claim was still open.