Beach Haven Chips In To Help One Of Their Own After Fire

BEACH HAVEN, NJ - It's been over a week since Tammy Mitchell's 11th Street home was virtually destroyed in an early morning fire. And you can still smell the smoke wafting from the house that was rebuilt after Superstorm Sandy.

"It's like a firepit," she said. "It's bad. It's like that robot feeling. It's like PTSD going back to Superstorm Sandy."

She had no homeowner's insurance on the house since the mortgage had been paid off. The raised ranch sat on property that belonged to her family, dating back to her great-grandparents' time.

Now she finds herself without a permanent home to for her and her six children. For now they are staying with friends. Several are in college, but will be home soon when the semester ends.

Mitchell and several of her school-age children weren't home that night. They were staying at a friend's house.

But her 20- year-old daughter was. She woke up to a very loud noise around 4 a.m. It sounded like an explosion, Mitchell says.

"It was awful to get that call," she said. "18 years, lots of memories."

At first the family thought they had also lost their dog Noel. But firefighters found her hiding inside several hours later and were able to revive her.

1918 has already been a difficult year for Mitchell. She is in the middle of a divorce. She is wrestling with "clawbacks" from the the state Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation (RREM) program. She wants to rebuild her home, but doesn't know where to start.

And her children are traumatized. They want to go home.

Her friends have set up a gofundme account for the family to help them rebuild. As of Monday morning, $9,120 of the $100,000 goal had been raised. To donate, click here: https://www.gofundme.com/Tammy...

"The Beach Haven Fire department, police, EMS workers and other first responders came together to help this family of volunteer fire fighters and police officers," the gofundme page states.

The Beach Haven fire company is also planning a benefit for the family next Sunday, April 29, from 1 pm. to 4 p.m. at Calloway's Bar and Restaurant in Stafford Township.

"We just had a fire in our area, which is always unfortunate," a post on the fire company's Facebook pagestates. "This one, however, hit really close to home. It was the home of an active member of the company’s mother. An active member of the company’s mother-in-law. An active life member of the company’s daughter. A member of our Auxiliary. A member of our community. A member of our fire family in every way possible. Her and all of her kids have helped us so much throughout the years. Please help them in their time of need."

Tickets for the benefit are $25 a person. That includes, beer, wine, soda and pizza, plus one hour of wings.

Photos: Courtesy of Beach Haven Volunteer Fire Company and gofundme.com