"Easier To Name Who Didn't Help Than Who Did" Says Church Leader After Tragic Fire

This story was updated on Aug. 20 to include remarks from Pastor Josh Park.

NORTH COVENTRY TOWNSHIP, PA — One year after the Ashwood Apartments went up in a blaze that displaced 50 families, officials are lauding the "Herculean" community effort the followed and that they say demonstrates what it means to love your neighbors.

Pottstown's Branch Life Church is holding a picnic next week to celebrate the effort made and the rebuilding of lives the fire tore through. Its lead pastor, Josh Park told Patch, "It's easier to name the organizations and businesses that didn't help than to name the ones that did."

On July 30, 2020 a fire devastated the Ashwood Apartment building in North Coventry Township, Chester County, completely destroying 45 homes, displacing 50 families, and leaving 100 people with only the clothes on their backs. Though four residents and two first responders were injured, everyone survived thanks to the heroic effort of neighbors, the North Coventry firefighters, and police departments.

The immediate and subsequent outpouring of support from the entire community has helped to meet the physical, emotional, and spiritual needs of all who lost their home, Chester County officials said this week.

Park said he could see the fire from his house, as he and neighbors quickly realized it was bigger than they thought. "I decided to go down to the fire hall. It was crazy," Park said.

Thirty-one fire departments responded to help fight the fire that night, and the American Red Cross was first on the scene to temporarily house those who needed it.

By Aug.2, 2020, Open Hearth, Inc. had coordinated to lead a meeting of over 30 participants from Chester County Government, the United Way of Chester County, Senator Katie Muth, Owen J. Roberts School, American Red Cross, Tri-County Community Network (TCN), non-profit organizations and members of the religious community.

What followed was what officials called a "herculean community effort" to support the Ashwood families in every way, and all mid-pandemic. Parks said what drove the response was simple: "just caring." He learned that 90 percent of the fire victims didn't have renters insurance. "The effort had to happen," he said.

Chester County's Commissioners Office this week released a long list of the many agencies, organizations, and individuals who helped in the recovery effort:

Branch Life Church in Pottstown immediately began to coordinate the community volunteers and donations, while Orion Communities was the first non-profit to assist with in-person document recovery and resource coordination.

Chester County's 211 supported Open Hearth, Inc. to lead the weekly case-conferencing to actively assist with rehousing all 50 families. The Chester County Department of Community Development (DCD) coordinated and paid for the majority of emergency hotel stays, in addition to managing the data.

Case managers from Branch Life Church (BLC), Friends Association, Good Samaritan Services, Handicrafters, Home of the Sparrow, Housing Authority of Chester County, NorthStar, The Salvation Army of Pottstown, Open Hearth, Inc. (OH), and Veteran’s Multi Services all worked to help every Ashwood family to find, fund and furnish new permanent housing in Chester and Montgomery counties over the next eight months.

The North Coventry Fire Company, Netzer, Owen J. Robert’s PTA, and Tri-County Community Network collected financial donations. TCN ultimately coordinated the Ashwood Fire Relief Fund receiving a total $123,427.50, the County reported. These funds provided each family with $2,000 towards new housing costs, $200 for each child at Christmas, assisted with hotel expenses, and helped families with various financial needs as determined by fund managers from TCN, DCD, Open Hearth and Branch Life Church.

Branch Life Church managed and staffed the Ashwood relief center, supplying the Ashwood families with gift cards, physical donations, furniture, and food as needed through the rest of 2020. Norco Fire Company first housed the relief center, which then moved to the Liberty Thrift community room from August to November 2020. The Community Warehouse Project also helped.

The OJR School District and PTA supplied school supplies, computers, a second donation center, and buses to help transport families as needed. Thank you to Tammy Hartman and Dr. Susan Lloyd for their outstanding effort to support the kids affected by the fire.

Fifteen area churches adopted multiple families to assist with ongoing physical, emotional, and spiritual needs including Connection Church, Coventry Church of the Brethren, Calvary Baptist Church, and Parkerford Church of the Brethren.

Countless Pottstown area businesses and restaurants donated to the relief effort. Some outstanding contributions were made by the North Coventry Wawa, Amore Pizzeria, Bellwood Country Club, Grumpys, Orchard Ridge Apartments, The Pottstown Area Children’s Foundation, Costco, The Knights of Columbus, the Pottstown NAACP, Liberty Thrift Ministries, In Ian’s Boots, and many more.

Alex D’Annunzio Pomponio of "Renew You Counseling and Wellness" offered regular trauma and wellness counseling to children and teens

On Friday, July 30, 2021 — one year to the day of the Ashwood Apartments fire — the Chester County District Attorney's Office presented a special Commendation to the NORCO Fire Company, Office of the Fire Marshal, North Coventry Police Department, and Pastor Josh Park, recognizing their heroic and courageous service to the residents of Ashwood Apartments and the citizens of Chester County.

In addition to those recognized, formal acknowledgment of appreciation goes to Kelly Raggazino of Open Hearth, Inc., Hilary Haake and Pat Bokovitz from the Chester County Department of Community Development, and Holly Parker from Tri-County Community Network, for their year-long efforts in supporting the Ashwood families.

Picnic Recognition Event

On Aug. 26 at 6 p.m., Branch Life Church will host a picnic and recognition event at its outdoor pavilion, giving all Ashwood families and community leaders the opportunity to thank the first responders that helped the apartment residents to safety on the evening of July 30, 2020.

Park said Branch Life Church was "networked enough to know and be known in the community," so when "everyone was raising their hand to help, it just needed some organizing to fill in all the gaps."

"We learned this year there are a lot of good people and organizations doing good things, but they don't necessarily know each other."

Park told Patch Branch Life Church "takes seriously the command to love God with all your heart soul and mind and to love your neighbor at yourself."

"We were asking, What if that were me? What would I need?" he said.

As the community prepares for the picnic at Branch Life, Park said, "Our hope is that in the future we can build relationships and build a spirit of unity in the community and even take some of the pain points away when things like this happen."

Anyone who would like to contribute to this event may do so here.

A resident of the Ashwood Apartments was charged in October with reckless endangerment in connection with the fire. Read that full story here.

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