Forty-three people in Montgomery County, Maryland, who lost their homes and personal property in a weekend fire are taking the first small steps toward recovery.
The Red Cross and other volunteers are lending a helping hand to the families displaced by the 2-alarm fire that destroyed an apartment building, located in the 12000 block of Clarksburg Square Road, in Clarksburg, Maryland.
The Saturday morning fire raced through the four-story building and also damaged apartments in nearby buildings.
Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services said two residents and four of the 78 firefighters who battled the flames blaze were injured. Two firefighters were taken to a hospital for their injuries, and all those injured are expected to survive.
“We are currently assisting 17 different households and some of those are getting financial assistance. And we are there to make sure that they have the resources so that they may begin to recover from this incident,” said Curt Luthye, executive director of the Montgomery, Howard and Frederick Counties chapter of the American Red Cross.
“Anytime a person is displaced from their house, where they have to leave the things that they collected, the things they care about, it is really shocking,” Luthye said.
That’s not the only help for those who lost their belongings in the fire. Volunteers also swung into action from the Clarksburg Closet, a nonprofit operated by Cedarbrook Community Church, providing those displaced with clothing, including new underwear, toiletries and suitcases.
The Red Cross said it provides the displaced families with immediate financial assistance and its volunteers coordinate with government agencies and health care organizations to help those who also need critical items lost in the fire, such as prescription medications and eyeglasses.
“We really try to get people back to square one and get themselves oriented so that they can move forward,” Luthye said.
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