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McAdoo Community Helps Fire Victims

MCADOO — Newswatch 16 has learned the young victim of a fire in Schuylkill County has died. The coroner tells Newswatch 16 Madison Arner, 6, died Monday m...

MCADOO -- Newswatch 16 has learned the young victim of a fire in Schuylkill County has died.

The coroner tells Newswatch 16 Madison Arner, 6, died Monday morning.

She was badly hurt in a fire along South Kennedy Drive in McAdoo Saturday.

Three victims of the fire are out of the hospital.

Many in a Schuylkill County community are shaken after a fire Saturday night. Neighbors and friends who watched Madison's home burn late Saturday night are now lending a hand to her family in any way that they can.

madison arner

"As a mother of three myself, I can't imagine what Lorraine and that family is going through right now."

Jennifer Wesner lives just a few doors down from where the fire started and is organizing basket raffles and other fundraisers to help the victims, Lorraine and Savanna Searfoss, Dylan Danko and Madison.

Wesner's daughter Makenzie was friends with Madison.

"She lived two doors down from me and she was just real sweet. She always wanted to come over and play in the backyard with Marisa and I."

Makenzie and her friend set up this lemonade stand trying to help Madison's family.

"Just because we feel really bad, we really knew Madison. She was like an angel to us and we feel really bad so we're raising money for the family," said Bridget Drake.

As friends and neighbors are doing everything they possibly can to help this family heal from tragedy, so are the first responders just across the street.

McAdoo firefighters say responding to this fire was especially difficult for them and are collecting donations for the family.

"Her father actually was a member here in the past and we had Madison over here from when she was a small child. She was in and out of the firehouse," said Assistant Fire Chief Bob Leshko, McAdoo Fire Department.

Only one smoke alarm was found on the first floor of the home. They believe that a smoke alarm on the second floor, where Madison slept, could have made a difference.

"Having those smoke detectors is very important.  Everybody says 'well, I'll get one tomorrow, I'll get one tomorrow.' Tomorrow may be that day that never comes."

The three other family members taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital after the fire have now been released.

If you would like to help the family of Madison Arner, you can click here.

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