“The loss of life is hard at any age, but young people without a new beginning is hard,” Mary Ann Squire said.
The promise of a new year, shattered by tragedy on Tuesday night in Somers.
“These kids just watched the ball drop. They just went into a new year, and just the day before everything seemed so normal. Stuff can happen just like that,” said Dechon Harris, who works at Claudette’s Boutique Consignments in town.
The house fire left four children dead, and a community in shock.
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“This is just a little too close to home,” said Jessica Burnham, who lives nearby.
Burnham saw it all unfold from her home down the street.
“It was almost something out of a movie. There was so much smoke. It almost looked like clouds, but you could see the light radiating through it,” she said.
As family members mourn, the Somers community is rallying.
“We all just need to come together as a family and help each other,” Somers Pizza owner Lisa Perzan said.
On Wednesday, Perzan donated food to the children’s elementary school.
“I definitely am sending over extra pizzas and sodas just to help the poor teachers what they’re going through right now,” Perzan said.
Across town, Claudette’s Boutique Consignments collected donations in the form of clothes, towels, shoes and toys to go towards supporting the family in need.
“It shows that as a community, people are able to come together and help out those in actual need,” said Dechon Harris, who works at the store.
Both businesses said they’ll continue to accept any form of donations and will work with the town to make sure the families receive the help.
One group of townspeople said they’re also working with officials, as well as the family, to organize all the donations that come in from the community.
