Five Western North Carolina families were devastated by home fires over the Christmas weekend. The Red Cross swiftly responded to each incident, offering food, clothing, seasonal garments, emotional support, cash assistance and hotel lodging to 11 adults and 11 children in five families.

On Dec. 23, in Rutherford County, the excitement surrounding the coming holiday was dampened by an electrical fire that destroyed the entire mobile home of a family of two adults and one child. Two Red Cross volunteers assisted the family during this time of unimaginable devastation with food, clothing and seasonal garments to replace those that had been destroyed in the fire and a hotel.

On Christmas Eve, a similar incident occurred in Jackson County in a mobile home belonging to two adults and four children. A kitchen fire caused severe smoke damage throughout the home. Thankfully, firefighters and Red Cross volunteers were able to salvage Christmas gifts but still offered assistance with food and clothing. The family was able to stay with friends over the holiday weekend.

Two residential fires took place on Christmas day — one in Yancey County and one in Henderson County. In Yancey County, a chimney fire destroyed the entire home of two adults in Burnsville, N.C., while on the same day in Hendersonville, N.C., two adults and three children found themselves with nothing but the clothes on their back. The Christmas gifts were graciously replaced by the father’s employer, and the local Hendersonville Fire Department is holding a toy and clothing drive to replace the rest of the ruined items. Three Red Cross volunteers were on the scene of the fire with food, clothing and cash assistance.

Lastly, the day after Christmas was not a day for sleeping in and eating leftovers for a family of three adults and three children. A fire broke out in the basement of a home in Macon County, and while most of the contents of the home were safe, the Red Cross assisted the family with food, seasonal garments and a hotel stay. Thankfully, all residents were safe except for one adult who suffered minor injuries.

The Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters no matter the time or day. Our dedicated disaster action team members respond to disasters all day and through the night. They courageously and selflessly sacrifice their own holidays to assist those in need through the Western North Carolina community.

For more details about these incidents and the work of Disaster Action Teams in Western North Carolina, contact Tony Reid at (828) 258-3888 ext. 219.Read the full article