MULLICA TWP COMMUNITY HELPING FAMILY WHO'S HOUSE BURNT ON CHRISTMAS
NBC40 Video right after Upper Twp Fire
MULLICA TOWNSHIP -- The Township of Mullica is joining forces with the Elwood Fire Company to help the Powers family get back on their feet after a fire destroyed their home on Christmas day.
"I went around the corner, went over to the stairwell, went up about two steps, looked up and saw.....Continue Reading
heavy, chocolate brown smoke, and knew that we had a very serious situation here." Christmas-day fire victim Scott Powers said.
So, volunteer firefighter Scott Powers put his training to use, and quickly got his wife, four kids, and extended family out of this Mullica Township home, as more than 45 of his fellow first responders worked to suppress the fire.
"They did a quick knockdown, but there was extensive damage to two room, uh, and the rest of the house sustained water, smoke and heat damage. So, pretty much the whole house is an entire loss," said Elwood Fire Company Chief Anthony Tomasco.
"I'm just really thankful that everybody made it out okay, and that may neighbors and all the rescue personnel arrived so quickly and have been very kind to us, and reached out and been helping us through this really tough time." Scott Powers' wife Jennifer Powers said.
Like so many tight-knit South Jersey communities, the attention quickly turned to the family, especially the four children, ages 18 months to nine-years-old.
"He's a volunteer firefighter from our sister company, Sweetwater. We're all brothers, and we're gonna make sure he's taken care of." Tomasco said.
The Powers family are now forced to live in a hotel, but Mullica Township and the Elwood Fire Company are joining forces to raise money and gift card donations for the family.
"I just cannot say enough, how thankful my family is for everything that Mullica Township, all the fire departments, and all the community has done to reach out to us. It's overwhelming, and it's amazing, and I really appreciate it." Scott Powers said.
Chief Tomasco started the donating Monday evening, and Jennifer is hoping that generosity continues, eventually allowing a sense of normalcy to return to her kids, and to their daily routines.
"Well, our ultimate goal, hopefully, is get a trailer on our property so they can essentially be at home, away from home. So they can have a trailer there, they can catch the bus like they do every day. Get to school, and have a normal routine and so we can get our house rebuilt, or cleaned up, whatever it's going to take."
Because of a lack of storage at the hotel, no clothes donations are being accepted at this time. But, monetary donations and gift cards can either be dropped off at the Mullica Township City Hall directly, or mailed to "Township of Mullica, P.O. Box 317, Elwood New Jersey, area code 08217."
