Mokena Rallies Around Family Of 5 Who Lost Everything In Fire

MOKENA, IL — A family of five Mokena residents who lost everything in a house fire last week is now seeing their community rally around them as they try to piece their lives back together with the holidays fast approaching.

The family managed to escape the fire, which took place just after 10 p.m. on Wednesday when, according to a neighbor, the residents of the home on Marshall Court noticed embers falling from their fireplace. By the time they went upstairs to see what was happening, the roof of their attic had already collapsed, forcing them to flee from the home. The fire started in a chimney that was close to the bedrooms of the three children, neighbors said.

The family, which has three children under the age of 10, managed to safely get their dog out of the home and firefighters found the family’s cat, which was drenched in water but still alive, neighbor Kevin Pflug told Patch on Monday.

Firefighters from several area departments battled the blaze, which officials said was under control in about 30 minutes.

Fire officials did not provide an estimate of damages but said that the house sustained heavy damage in the fire. Pflug said that the family had only recently completed a complete renovation of the home, which is now unlivable.

A GoFundMe effort has been started to assist the family, which had already purchased Christmas gifts for their children, all of which were lost along with the rest of their possessions. As of Monday morning, the fundraising effort has raised $2,350 of a $5,000 goal. Proceeds from the GoFundMe effort will go to cover replacing Christmas gifts, clothing, shoes, and immediate basic living necessities as the family waits to hear from their insurance company, Pflug said.

In addition to money that has been donated to assist the family, other Mokena-area residents have donated clothing, shoes, and other supplies to give to the family.

“It’s been really, really cool to see the community come around,” Pflug told Patch. “It’s crappy no matter when something like this happens, but with Christmas coming up and with three kids under the age of 10 that are going to be spending Christmas with the realization that they literally have to start over from scratch (is sad).”

“So the way the community has pulled together has been very awesome, to be honest.”

All three children attend Mokena Elementary School, and the district has already committed to providing them with new backpacks and school supplies, Pflug said. In addition, the district will also provide the kids with free school lunches for the remainder of the school year to assist the family.

The district is also doing a clothing drive to assist the family, which is now staying with relatives as they determine next steps.

Pflug, who moved to Mokena from Lemont with his wife in 2020, says he has been in touch with other neighbors who have had contact with the family in the days since the fire. The family is also overwhelmed from dealing with the tragedy as well as having to deal with zealous construction companies and insurance adjusters who arrived in the hours after the fire looking for business, neighbors said.

However, while the family continues to grips with losing their home, Pflug said that his neighbors are taken aback by the way the community as well as friends and neighbors have rallied around them trying to help.

“(Mokena) is a great, great community,” Pflug told Patch. “It’s just a very wholesome, tight community.”

In addition to the GoFundMe, residents looking for ways to help can reach out to the administrators of the Mokena Community Facebook page, which is also working with the family.