Trust funds established for families
NEWELL – Two trust funds have been set up with the Newell Federal Credit Union to assist two families from Newell left homeless by fire last Friday night. The fire began at the home of Fred DeBerry and Kim Ritter on Second Street. The preliminary report indicates it may have started in the wiring to an air conditioner. No one was home when the fire began.
Fire Chief Joe Dandrea was the first to notice the fire just after 10 p.m.
“It’s five houses up from my house. I was out on my deck and smelled smoke. The fire department was there within five minutes,” Dandrea said.
Ironically, DeBerry gave one of the firefighters a ride to the fire hall, not knowing it was his own house that was on fire, Dandrea said. DeBerry’s home was engulfed in flames when the fire department arrived and the fire had spread next door, to the home of Vince and Nicki Kozis Todaro. Nicki Todaro is the acting mayor of Newell, following the death of her father John Kozis about four months ago.
Dandrea said there were three houses in a row that were only three feet apart. The firefighters were unable to save the DeBerry house. They concentrated on stopping the fire at Todaro’s, so it wouldn’t spread to the third home, owned by Garnet Morris.
Firefighters from Washington Township, Fayette City, Brownsville No. 1, South Brownsville, Hiller and West Brownsville assisted at the scene. The fire was brought under control around 12:30 a.m. Saturday and all departments cleared the scene by 3 a.m., Dandrea said.
When it was all over, DeBerry, Ritter and Ritter’s teen-age daughter had lost everything and the Todaro home was badly damaged by smoke and fire.
DeBerry also lost a pet dog that perished in the fire. DeBerry and Ritter are staying with relatives in Grindstone, Dandrea said, while the Todaros moved across the street to Nicki Todaro’s mother’s house.
Trust funds have been set up at Newell Federal Credit Union for both families. Donations may be sent to either the Todaro Fire Fund or the DeBerry Fire Fund, Newell Federal Credit Union, P.O. Box 7, Newell, PA 15466. Funds for the Todaros may also be sent to the Brownsville Federal Credit Union, P.O. Box 128, Brownsville, PA 15417.