TURNERS FALLS — In the wake of a kitchen fire at the Cutlery Block Apartments on Friday afternoon, the Turners Falls High School and Great Falls Middle School community is banding together in an effort to support the displaced family.
The Turners Falls High School Facebook page issued a call for donations on Saturday for the Parker family — Troy Parker, his daughters Alexis and Asiah, and their cat Oliver.
For the family’s immediate needs, the list of items includes clothes for the two girls, specifically women’s size large and extra large shirts and pants, size 6 and 6½ shoes, along with hygiene, hair and sanitary products. They are also seeking pet care donations, including Friskies dry cat food and Fresh Step cat litter, and gift cards for groceries, local restaurants, gas and more. At this time, cash donations are not being accepted.
The donation effort was organized by Turners Falls High School life skills teacher Cassie Holmes, as she knows the family from working with one of the girls at the school.
“I was immediately getting pictures of the damage, and knowing the family, I was like, ‘They’re going to need help,'” Holmes recalled. The family has found a place to live temporarily, but they lost their belongings to smoke and water damage.
The fire at the apartment building at 73 Third St. was reported shortly after 2 p.m. on Friday. According to the State Fire Marshal’s Office, the fire in the third-floor apartment was accidental in nature and resulted from a pot on an electric range having been left on.
“We want to remind all our residents to ‘stand by your pan’ and stay in the kitchen when you’re cooking on the stovetop,” Jake Wark, spokesperson for the State Fire Marshal’s Office, wrote in a statement, noting that “cooking-related fires are by far the most common in Massachusetts, accounting for about 70% of all residential fires.”
Resident Troy Parker, in a phone interview Tuesday, said he was thankful for the Fire Department’s quick response. Parker said there were no injuries and only one other individual, who lived in the apartment below, was displaced from the fire. Oliver, the cat, was rescued by firefighters and given oxygen after suffering smoke inhalation.
After connecting with the Parkers to check in on their needs, Holmes began coordinating with Helping Hands, a school charity organization, to set up the donation list and plan for a collection at the high school.
“I just know that I couldn’t let my student go without, so it just comes naturally to step up,” Holmes said.
Holmes said Helping Hands will help supplement any supplies the family needs if an item they are seeking hasn’t been donated.
“The community is rallying around to help, as they always do,” Assistant Principal and Helping Hands Advisor Adam Graves said about the donations, noting that they’ve helped other community members in these situations before.
Holmes said she’s already seen donations come in and has been coordinating with people to arrange for drop-off. In one surprise donation, Jim Elwell, owner of JJAB Storage in Greenfield, donated a storage locker to the family, Holmes noted.
“They’re very thankful. They’re very overwhelmed still and trying to secure a new location,” Holmes said of the Parker family’s response to the donations. “Taking this burden off right now has been really, really helpful for them.”
Troy Parker said he and his daughters are taking life day by day as they look to a better tomorrow.
“Thanks for the community support — this is only day one out of many,” he said. “Tomorrow is a new day.”
To donate, people can call Turners Falls High School at 413-863-7242. Donation times are during school hours from 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., and off-hour drop-off can be arranged. The high school is located at 222 Turnpike Road.