Effort on to help Wilmington fire victims

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September 3, 2010

By KIM SMITH DEDAM Staff Writer The Press Republican Fri Sep 03, 2010, 03:28 AM EDT

WILMINGTON — The fire that seriously damaged a Wilmington family's home started from an overloaded outlet strip.

Nancy and Brian Reed lost their home on Springfield Road Tuesday, with Mrs. Reed having to rescue her children from the fire.

Essex County Emergency Services Director Don Jaquish said Thursday that the fire investigation has been completed.

"It appears that it was an overloaded outlet strip located in the bedroom upstairs that ignited combustible material," he said. "The outlet strip apparently overheated.

"Damage was confined to one room, and the Wilmington Fire Department did an excellent stop," Jaquish said.

But water and smoke damage in other areas of the house left the Reeds unable to live there.

The community of Wilmington is coming together to help them.

Al Armstrong of Mountain Brook Lodge and Diane Kirby, a close friend of the family, are coordinating an effort to help the Reeds and their children: Layla, Bryley and Beck.

Donations are being accepted for girls clothing in sizes 10 or 12 and 6X or 7; girls shoes, sizes 5 and 1; and boys clothing, size 3T.

Anyone wishing to make a donation of clothing or cash may contact Kirby at 946-2486 or diane1024@charter.net or Armstrong at 946-2262 or drop off at the Mountain Brook Lodge. Checks should be made out to the Reed family.

To contribute via Paypal, go to Paypal.com and make a contribution to albear@msn.com. Mark it for the Reed family.

When the Patterson family of Wilmington burned out last year, Kirby and Armstrong raised more than $6,000, with a good share of it coming through Paypal, along with many local donations.