Pottstown Explosion Support Fund Created To Help Affected Residents

POTTSTOWN, PA — A donation fund has been created to help those residents who have been affected by the deadly house explosion that took place in this western Montgomery County community late last month.

The Pottstown Explosion Support Fund, which has already raised more than $47,000, was created by a committee of community stakeholders who came together to try and assist in the aftermath of the deadly May 26 incident, which took the lives of four young children and their grandmother.

The support fund aims to collect money that will benefit those affected by the explosion. The money will help with things like temporary housing and other basic needs and essentials.

Donations can be made online through this link.

The committee that helped to create the support fund is made up of representatives from TriCounty Community Network, Pottstown School District, Pottstown Area Health & Wellness Foundation, Genesis Housing, and the Pottstown NAACP.

Pottstown Mayor Stephanie Henrick and Montgomery County Democratic State Rep. Joe Ciresi are also on the committee.

Organizers said that 100 percent of the proceeds from the fund will benefit families who were directly affected by the house explosion, which took the lives of four children ages 8 through 13 and their 67-year-old grandmother.

"Fund decisions will be directed by committee members who reside in the Borough with prioritization of housing for those who have been displaced," reads a news release. "An initial distribution of funds will begin this week to the eight known families that have been displaced."

Officials recently said that a handful of homes near the deadly explosion site have since been deemed uninhabitable and unsafe for living.

Related: More Homes Near Deadly Pottstown Explosion Deemed Unsafe: Report

Items being sought in addition to monetary donations include basic necessities such as food and toiletries.

Officials are continuing to investigate what may have caused the deadly explosion, which made national headlines.

Local, state and federal law enforcement personnel as well as representatives from utility companies are jointly investigating the matter and no additional information has been provided on what may have caused the house to explode has since been released.

Patch will continue to monitor this story and bring readers more information whenever it becomes available.