SOMERVILLE — Donations and clothing are needed for a family left homeless early Sunday morning after a chimney fire damaged their mobile home.

Somerville Fire Chief Mike Dostie said Jeremy Mcinnis and his family lived in the single-wide mobile home at 70 Hewitt Road.

Dostie said the fire started in an overheated chimney connected to a wood stove. Flames quickly spread to the attic.

Firefighters had to cut holes in the roof to extinguish the fire and save the structure.

He said the family is unable to move back in until the roof is repaired. He said they lost a lot of items in the fire, including clothing.

A Red Cross case worker met with the family Sunday afternoon. The family was set up in a motel and received a client assistance card for food and clothing.

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Andrew Eckman, emergency services chairman for the Midcoast Chapter of Red Cross, said the case worker also provided referrals to other social service agencies in the area where the family can turn to for help.

The amount a family receives from the Red Cross in assistance depends on the size of a family, he said. A family of four receives $2,000, he said.

“I’m sure community members up there and the faith-based organizations, which are excellent at stepping in with additional clothing and a certain amount of funding, will help out,” Eckman said. “The community is a key partner with us in things like this.”

Ernestine Peaslee, town clerk and treasurer of the Somerville Fire Department, is accepting donations for the Mcinnis family. Peaslee said the fire department auxiliary contributed $100 to the family.

She said donations can be mailed to her at 910 Rockland Road, Somerville, ME 04348. Checks should be made out to the Somerville Fire Department, she said.

Anyone who would like to donate household items, food or clothing should call Peaslee at 549-7372. She can provide sizes for Mcinnis, his wife and their three young children.

Since October, local Red Cross volunteers have responded to eight single family home fires and a multi-unit apartment building fire in Thomaston, according to Connie Jones, executive director of the Mid Coast Chapter.

Mechele Cooper — 621-5663

mcooper@centralmaine.com


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