Fire Destroys Home, Community Rallies Around Stratford Family

STRATFORD, CT — The Stratford community and beyond is rallying around a family after a fire destroyed their home earlier this week.

A family of seven was displaced after the fire late Monday night on the 100 block of Cheshire Street in Stratford. The homeowners are Sam and Jasmine Phommachanh, the heads of a well-a known sports family that includes No. 2-ranked Clemson quarterback Taisun and University of Connecticut football signee Tyler, according to GameTimeCT.com.

Firefighters responded to the home around 11:15 p.m. and found heavy fire coming from the second-floor bedroom windows of the large colonial home, according to a news release from the Stratford Fire Department. The blaze extended up into the attic and the interior of the residence was heavily damaged.

A team of 22 firefighters and two safety officers brought the blaze under control in 30 minutes, the news release said. No one was injured.

The devastating fire came the day after the death of Sam Phommachanh’s mother, Kane, who died Sunday at age 68, according to GameTimeCT.

A neighbor, John Minopoli, has launched a GoFundMe page in support of the family.

“Last night I experienced the most heartbreaker thing,” Minopoli wrote on the GoFundMe page. “My neighbors, and good friends lost their house in horrible fire. It added to an already trying week, when they lost their Grandmother the day before..... These giving and God loving people need our help. I know it’s been a very hard year for all of us, but imagine losing everything with what's going on in the world today, makes it that much harder...A small donation would go a long way. May God protect them, and guide them. Thank you very much!!”

The campaign has raised nearly $18,000 from more than 200 donors as of Thursday morning.

For more information, or to make a donation, visit the GoFundMe page here.

Read more at GameTimeCT.com here.

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