WYOMING COUNTY, Pa. — The inside of a family home in Wyoming County is diminished to ash. Firefighters tell us the fire broke out in Eaton Township near Tunkhannock last Wednesday, just days before Christmas.
"We brought in our mutual aid departments and got the fire under control in about 22 minutes," said Triton Hose Co. Assistant Chief Alan Grow.
But in that short time, the Concert family's belongings, Christmas presents, and family dog were lost in the fire.
It was the first night the single father and his four kids were staying in the home as tenants.
"Happening so close to Christmas, it's such a letdown. They move in, the fire happens, they're completely displaced, they lose everything. It's just a heartbreaking situation," Amber Werzinski said.
Those who battled the fire are now going above and beyond the call of duty. Volunteers with the Triton Hose Company in Tunkhannock are acting as Santa this season.
"Our goal as a fire company is to help people in need. It feels good to be able to help people have the Christmas that, unfortunately, they lost," Grow said.
They delivered a truck filled with toys and clothing to help the Concert family through the holidays. Each gift was wrapped by the volunteer firefighters and police athletic league.
"Triton said it looked like a toy store. They had a lot of toys and a lot of gifts," Ashley Kuback said.
The hose company is part of a long line of strangers stepping up to help a family they have never met.
Kuback began the donation fund. Her family rents out the home that caught fire.
"This is devastating to happen to any family, especially a family with four children around Christmastime. So we just thought, 'How can we help?'"
Kuback turned to the power of social media to bring in those donations. Through that, she met Amber Werzinki, another stranger trying to help the family in need. Her kids attend the same elementary school.
"I wanted to make sure that we could give them a little bit of Christmas still, or bring them some sort of happiness after this horrible tragedy," Werzinki said.
Together, a group of strangers have brought in dozens of donations, like clothing, furniture, and gift cards, to help get the family back on their feet.
But they say it's really the community that's making Christmas magic.
"It's definitely humbling to see what the community will do," Grow said.
"It's nice to know that other people care about the people who live down the street," Werzinski added.
Fire officials believe the fire was accidental.
The Concert family is still in need of donations.
- Father—size 34/30 pants, large shirt, and shoe size 10 ½,
- Two daughters, ages 11 and 3 ½—7/8 pants, medium adult shirt, shoe size 8 and toddler 5T, shoe size 8 toddler,
- Two sons ages 10 and 8—sizes 10/12 and shoe sizes are 4 ½ and 5 ½,
People can also drop off gift cards.
Items can be dropped off at:
Triton Hose Company,
116 W. Tioga Street,
Tunkhannock, PA 18657
Monetary donations can be made on the GoFundMe page or a fund at the Community Bank in Tunkhannock under "Concert family fire fund."