Neighbors Collecting Funds for Family Who Lost Home in Fire

After a fire gutted a Bayberry Road home Monday morning, local residents are starting up a collection to help the family that lost everything.

The house, at 455 .

The house was consumed by fire around 4:11 a.m. Monday, and was complicated by live wires feeding into the home and sending sparks as the firefighters continued to fight the fire, which took more than two hours to knock down.

The father and two children in the house at the time of the fire were taken to St. Barnabas Burn Center. The two children were released Monday morning, and the father is still in the hospital, but is expected to make a full recovery.

And now, local residents are doing what they can to help their neighbors in need.

Jeanne Walsh, at 463 Bayberry Road, is collecting gift cards and money from anyone looking to contribute to the family that lost all of their material belongings in the fire.

Walsh said some neighboring residents have already donated.

"It is wonderful and awesome that people want to help," she said.

Walsh said she is not holding an official collection at this point, but anyone who wants to help out can drop materials off at her house.

Bayberry Road resident Dan Petrozelli said gift cards would be the biggest help for the family at this point because they don't have a space to put any material items.

But, Petrozelli said, eventually they will have to rebuild, and that's where gift cards will be very helpful.

"Eventually, they will get a new place and have to furnish it, and at that point they will need pots, pans, clothing and such," he said. "But at this point they have no place to put anything like that."

Walsh said the one or two of the schools might also be spearheading a campaign to help out the family.

"We want to do whatever we can to help them get back on their feet," Petrozelli said.