How to support South Jersey family that lost home, dog in Christmas Day blaze

MAPLE SHADE - Christmas day started out merrily enough for the English family, but it didn't end that way.

Kim English and her daughter had left their Maple Shade home that afternoon to have dinner with family a few streets away. Just before 6 p.m., English received a call from a neighbor that her West Broadway home was ablaze.

English rushed to the scene, but slipped on ice and fell while running across the street, shattering her elbow. Until EMTs arrived, family members said English watched in excruciating pain and emotional distress as fire crews tackled the blaze, which destroyed her and her children's possessions and took the life of her beloved dog.

On Dec. 30, the 57-year-old mom and Washington Township surgical center employee underwent her own surgery for arm injuries.

Feeling "helpless" and wanting to do something meaningful to help her aunt and family, Katie Marshall started a GoFundMe online fundraiser that as of Saturday afternoon had collected more than $37,000 in donations, topping the initial $35,000 goal.

"This fundraiser will help my incredible Aunt Kimmy and my cousins Jessica and Peter, who lost their home and everything they had, including their lovely dog Lola,” Marshall said.

Marshall said her aunt and Jessica, 25, are currently staying with family and lost everything in the fire except what they were wearing on Christmas.

Kim’s 22-year-old son, Peter, was not home on Christmas as he's currently in boot camp for the U.S. Navy at Naval Station Great Lakes. But, his belongings were lost in the fire, too.

"My sister can't believe the generosity of people who donated money and reached out in other ways," said English's brother James Herrmann, who also lives in Maples Shade.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Burlington County and state fire marshal offices, but is suspected to have started in the heater in the basement, according to Maple Shade police spokesman Lt. Dennis Nolan.

Firefighters from Maple Shade and nearby mutual aid fire departments fought the blaze for about 30 minutes before it was declared under control, said Independent Fire Co. Chief Andrew Simonsick, but crews remained for two hours to ensure hot spots were extinguished.

English's brother, and his son Alex were at the house Thursday trying to salvage any small personal items they could find.

"The house has extensive damage and isn't livable right now," her brother noted.

He said the back section of the house suffered the most damage from the basement up into the first and second floors and that there is heavy smoke and water damage everywhere. A blue tarp covers holes in the back roof and wall.

Both Herrmann and neighbor Bruce Billings praised the compassion and dedication of the first responders Christmas night, explaining how firefighters spotted family photo albums in the fire and carried them out to the front porch.

"My wife has been going through them so they can be cleaned up," Herrmann explained.

Both Herrmann and Billings said the responders even tried administering first aid to Lola to revive her but without success.

Billings described English as an extremely kind and upbeat person who is trying to look on the positive side of her misfortune in that the fire did not occur overnight when she or her daughter would have been sleeping and might have been killed or injured.

"We're like family," Billings said of their relationship with the family. "We will miss Lola, too, and so will our dog Cody. The two of them spent a lot of time together and they loved one another."

To donate to the family online visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/family-loses-everything-in-christmas-house-fire?qid=ba7f146b745548b090721ce08e62ce50

Carol Comegno loves telling stories about South Jersey life, history and military veterans for the Courier Post, Burlington County Times and The Daily Journal. If you have a story to share, call her at 609-533-0306 or email  ccomegno@gannettnj.com.

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This article originally appeared on Cherry Hill Courier-Post: Maple Shade family lost home, pet in Christmas fire