Last week a four-alarm house fire stretched across multiple residences on Murdock Street in Brighton, killing one man and leaving several people displaced. But two separate crowd-funding campaigns are helping those in need get back on their feet, and more than $10,000 — and counting — has been raised in over just a few days.
Among those affected by the fire were Clay Fernald, general manager of the Middle East restaurant and music venue in Cambridge, Kyle Neeson, singer of Boston rock band Cocked N’ Loaded, and graphic designer and illustrator Michelle Dugan. The trio lived next door to where the electrical fire started at 105 Murdock St., but the blaze carried over to their residence, and severe water damage from efforts to extinguish the fire forced the three tenants and others in the complex out of their homes and without personal belongings.
“About 7:30 a.m., Kyle, myself, and Michelle went outside, and Boston Fire was already on the case,” Fernald tells Vanyaland. “Our stuff was mostly OK from the fire, [it was] water damage, as our apartment was on fire on the top floor. Boston Fire used water on floor three, and that makes our house inhabitable so we need to all find a new place to live.”
So far, $8,370 has been raised via You Caring for the group, which is earmarked for finding a new place to live.
A separate fund raiser has also been established for 105 Murdock St. resident Christian Simmon, a Back Bay Restaurant Group bartender who lost all of his belongings and his beloved cat, Bear. That campaign has raised nearly $3,000.
“Both buildings are locked up by the city for the time being before anyone can get in, such as letting us get in to move our stuff to storage,” says Fernald.
A fund raiser event is scheduled at the Middle East in the coming weeks, and we’ll post more info on that as it develops.
LINKS:
Help Kyle, Clay, and Michelle after Murdock St Fire
Raising Funds to Help Christian After His House Fire
House sits on a corner Murdock and Gardena St http://t.co/uFPKDLi1SS
— Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) August 21, 2014
— Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) August 21, 2014
B side between 107 (l) and fire building 105 (r) http://t.co/dJJguUj090
— Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) August 21, 2014