Verizon in San Ramon to Donate Part of Sales to Blackhawk Fire Victims

When Stacie Palmer heard that a fire gutted the home of a Danville family who were regular customers of her store, EVO2 Verizon Wireless in San Ramon, she wanted to help by hosting a fundraiser.

On Saturday, the store will donate 50 percent of sales to doctor Robert Litman and his wife Niki Litman, who lost their 19-year-old son Benjamin Litman in a fire at their Blackhawk home June 22.

"We have been helping them at the store with communications services and decided there had to be more we could do," said Palmer in a written statement. "We look forward to seeing all of the support from the community this Saturday."

In addition to donating a portion of the store's profits to the Litmans, the store will also accept donations. The money will help the Litmans pay for funeral costs, medical bills and rebuilding their home, which sustained $2 million in damages.

Robert Litman, a physician in San Ramon, was hospitalized for four days for smoke inhalation from the fire, which began in the attic. 

Fire officials say because the fire began in the attic, where there were no smoke alarms, it was already burning at an advanced stage when other alarms in the home alerted the fire department at around 11:15 p.m. that night. When the fire department arrived, Benjamin was found dead in his bedroom and Litman was unconscious from the smoke.

As of Wednesday afternoon, Fire Marshal Christina Jamison said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

More information about the event is here or you may call the store at 925-854-1334.

The EVO2 Verzion Wireless store is at 2435 San Ramon Valley Boulevard, #205 in the Diablo Plaza Shopping Center near Crow Canyon Road and Interstate 680. The store will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday.