Friends Help 'Sweet Family' Whose Convenience Store In Brick Burned

BRICK, NJ — Friends have started a GoFundMe to help the owners of a convenience store that was destroyed in a roof fire on April 27 that also ruined a Brick Township pizzeria.

The owners of Jay's Food Mart lost their business in the fire that was reported at 4:52 p.m. on April 27. The three-alarm fire took nearly 90 minutes for firefighters to bring under control, and Herbertsville Fire Company firefighters had to return at 1:49 a.m. April 28 when the smoldering debris reignited, fire officials said.

The fire devastated both family-owned businesses. A dry cleaner in the plaza that was destroyed had been closed for more than a year.

That's why Christina Leverich started a GoFundMe campaign to help the Contractor family, who own Jay's Food Mart.

"Prashant and Percis are dear friends," Leverich wrote. "We attend the same church, and their two beautiful children attend the school I teach at."

"As you all know a fire ripped through the stores on Saturday and everything is completely gone. This is a devastating loss for their family. Their livelihood is gone," she wrote.

"Prashant's father was working at the time of the fire and thanks to a quick responding officer, his life was saved," she wrote. "I want to raise funds for this sweet family, to help carry them through this unforeseeable loss."

Those who wish to contribute to the GoFundMe can do so here.