How To Help Victims Of Devastating Royersford Fire: Latest Updates

ROYERSFORD, PA — There was such a significant upwelling of community support for the victims of the Royersford fire that local officials and borough leadership had to ask residents to stop donating, because they weren't sure they could use it all.

The Royersford Emergency Management Team met with Project Outreach and the Red Cross, which have put together temporary shelter for the six families whose homes were destroyed on Wednesday. They say the best way for the public to help the victims is to donate gift cards.

"Gift cards to Wawa, Target, Giant, Kohl’s, Walmart, and generic Visa or MasterCards are what these families could use right now," Mayor Alex Metricarti said Thursday.

Gift cards can be dropped off at Borough Hall on 300 Main Street. You can either hand them directly to the office team inside, or you can put the cards in the mailbox in the vestibule.

The vestibule is open 24 hours a day.

Metricarti added that there may be a way for residents to make a monetary donation instead. More information will be provided in the coming hours or days.

Because the temporary housing for the victims is very small, they do not have space for many physical goods, so they are not asking for donations of that sort.

The fire began just before 6 p.m. on the 200 block of 2nd Avenue Wednesday night and burned throughout the night.

The cause is not yet known, and remains under investigation. No injuries were reported, as first responders were able to get all families out in time.

It took hours of work from fire departments around the region to extinguish the blaze, which was fanned by high winds, officials said.

Roads around the neighborhood were closed, and power was shut off for some residents for hours into Thursday.