SPRAGUE, CT — Dozens of residents from across Connecticut gathered at the Sprague Fire Department Monday, April 14, to deliver essential items to families displaced by a devastating fire in the Baltic section of town.
The fire, which broke out Friday night at a multi-family home on West Main Street, burned through the night and left the structure reduced to rubble.
Despite the scale of destruction, all residents escaped unharmed, including two children rescued from a third-floor window by a neighbor with a ladder. Neither the homeowner nor the tenants carried insurance, according to fire officials.
One of the affected families includes seven children between the ages of 2 and 13.
In response, the Sprague Fire Department launched a donation drive to support the families, and the turnout has stretched far beyond town lines.
Donations of food, clothing, shoes, and basic household items filled tables inside the firehouse, with volunteers organizing and distributing supplies by age and size.
Contributions came from as far as Mansfield and Bristol. Community members acted quickly, with donations arriving before the fire was even fully extinguished.
In parallel efforts, neighbors and local educators initiated fundraising campaigns.
Morgan Crawford, a schoolteacher who lives nearby and teaches one of the children, started an online fundraiser. The goal was to raise $10,000 for the family with seven children, but as of Monday evening, contributions had exceeded $16,000.
Another neighbor, Becky Jimenez, who helped rescue children from the fire, is raising funds for the homeowner. Both families lost all their belongings.
Donations to support the families continue to be accepted at the Sprague Fire Department.
