Somers CT house fire: GoFundMe fundraiser raises over $57,000 after fire kills four children 

News of a two-family house burning down and leaving four children dead has left the Somers, Connecticut, community shocked. By the time firefighters responded to the duplex Quality Avenue residence on the night of Tuesday, January 2, the home had already been engulfed in flames. A family member of the victims has since created a GoFundMe to support them during this difficult time.

According to police officials, the fire broke out around 10:20 pm on Tuesday. Multiple victims were rescued by firefighters, including an adult. However, four children, Lucas, Benjamin, Archer, and Genevieve, were pronounced dead.

It was confirmed that all the children, who were between the ages of 5 and 12, were from the same family. An adult family member was reportedly supervising the children when the incident took place.

The family were reportedly pet owners as well. Somers firefighters managed to rescue three dogs. However, a litter of puppies died in the fire.

According to reports, neighboring residents managed to escape the fire.

Speaking about the tragedy, Somers Fire Chief John Roache said:

“The house was an older construction with numerous concealed spaces, which allowed the fire to spread rapidly and took a little considerable effort to extinguish.”

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Fundraiser raises over $57,000 after four children die in Somers house fire

Jessica Marie, who claims to be the cousin of the deceased, created the ‘Somers house fire of loss of four kids’ GoFundMe fundraiser. It was created to seek financial aid that would help with funeral costs for the children and also help the family replace essential belongings and secure a temporary place to live.

The GoFundMe page read:

“We understand that not everyone may be able to contribute financially, and if that's the case, your thoughts and prayers are deeply appreciated. We are overwhelmed with gratitude for those who have already assisted - neighbors, first responders, emergency personnel, and surrounding communities.”

At the time of writing this article, the fundraiser had amassed over $57,357. The highest donation of $1000 was made by Christopher Cromwell.

The Town of Somers’ Angel Fund is also receiving donations to provide immediate and future help for the family.

The Post revealed that the four deceased children were students at Somers Public Schools. In a statement, the school district said that they sent their counseling resources to the schools to extend support to the student community.

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont released a statement after learning about the fire as well. He said:

“The news of the fire last night in Somers that took the lives of four young children is absolutely devastating. I am appreciative of the work of the first responders on the scene who provided aid during this emergency. My prayers are with their families and friends.”

CT Insider revealed that the house was purchased in 2002 by Quality Rentals LCC. Law enforcement claimed that the family members were likely trapped in the building once the fire broke out.

The state’s fire marshal is leading the investigation into the incident. How the fire originated remained unclear at the time of writing the article. However, state police confirmed that the incident did not appear to be criminal.