NESQUEHONING, Pa. — Residents on West Catawissa Street in Nesquehoning are picking up the pieces after their home went up in flames Monday afternoon.
"It's literally our worst nightmare," said Jennifer Gizerian, who lives in the apartment building where the fire started.
She didn't want to show her face on camera but said she was home with her son.
"It just started pouring through the kitchen wall," Gizerian said. "Before I had time to even make a phone call, my neighbor came over and banged on the door and told us to get out. All the human beings in the building were able to get out. Our cat, unfortunately, I wasn't able to get him."
She's just one of the 12 people who are now without a home.
The fire started in one apartment building and then spread to a home and another building nearby.
Those impacted are being helped by the Red Cross.
"It could have happened in the middle of the night. The neighbor Greg sleeps all night," Gizerian said. "My son's 15. He could have been home by himself. Like, yeah, there's definitely a very dim bright side to this situation, for sure."
Community members are coming together to help the victims of the fire. Meed's Memorial Methodist Church is collecting donations to help those families.
"We had so many people as it was getting sent around on Facebook and everything. We had so many people just coming with bags of clothing, baby stuff. It was incredible," said Fredrick Santee, Meed's Memorial Methodist Church president.
Brian Stout, who lives in the borough, was one of the people who saw the call for help.
"I'm dropping off some clothes, some blankets from the fire yesterday. Trying to help out in whatever way I can," said Stout.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The church is collecting clothing, cleaning supplies, and financial donations for the victims.
Several GoFundMe fundraisers have been set up.
Click here for the Switzer-Gizerian family.
Click here for the Goren Family.
Click here for Sarah's family.
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