$200K Raised For Family After Fatal Fire

INGLESIDE, IL — More than $200,000 has been raised for the family of the two young girls who died in a house fire in Ingleside last week.

As of Friday afternoon, a GoFundMe set up for the Evans family has brought in $207,000, surpassing its $200,000 goal. The money will be donated to the family of Elizabeth Evans, 8, and Autumn Evans, 5, to help with any expenses and as they heal following the blaze on Dec. 10.

"Please help this family in their time of need," GoFundMe organizer Bridget wrote. "They will have many obstacles to overcome in the wake of this great tragedy, any help in this time of need is appreciated."

As of earlier this week, the girl's mother, Katie; grandfather, Scott; and grandmother, Dori, were hospitalized in critical but stable condition at Loyola Medical Center.

The girls' brother, Corey, who was training to become a firefighter, was released from the hospital, according to the GoFundMe.

• Conditions Of Mom, Brother Injured In Fatal Fire Are Improving
• 2 Young Girls Killed, 4 Adults Injured In House Fire

On Friday, the GoFundMe organizers shared an update from Teig Prickett, husband of Katie Evans and father of Elizabeth, Autumn and Corey. "Katie, Scott, and Dori are on breathing tubes because of the internal damage on their lungs from the smoke and heat," he wrote. "They are all stable, but not completely out of the woods. Scott and Dori are a bit more severe and will require a bit longer to heal."

Prickett thanked the community for their kindness after the family's tragedy.

"I am not ready to talk about my precious girls because it hurts too much and I am trying to keep it together for my family," he wrote. "I will truly grieve soon, but for now I must stay strong. Again, thank you to everyone. I love you all so very much."

Firefighters responded to the blaze at about 10 p.m. on Dec. 10 and found the two-story home in the 35000 block of Hunt Avenue fully engulfed in flames. Three family members standing in the front lawn, who had suffered significant burn and inhalation injuries, told firefighters a woman and the children were still inside the residence, Deputy Fire Chief Ed Lescher with the Fox Lake Fire Protection District told NBC Chicago.

Firefighters were able to save the woman, but flames made it hard for them to get to the second floor where the girls were, Lescher said. Lescher told the Daily Herald firefighters entered the home several times in attempts to rescue the sisters but were driven back by smoke and flames.

Meanwhile, the girls' mother jumped from a window on the second floor as the house burned.

Once the fire was under control, firefighters found the bodies of one of the girls in a bedroom and another in the hallway on the second floor.

The family's dog, Abby, and cats named Apple and Candace were killed in the fire.

Neighbors say the Evans family was happy and that Elizabeth and Autumn liked to play outside running, often barefoot, from yard to yard. Raul Paz told the Daily Herald his daughter, Vivianna, 9, played with the girls and enjoyed going to the Evans home when they used a projector and hosted outdoor movie nights.

"She has been crying all night," Paz said. "It has hit her the hardest."

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but arson has been ruled out, fire officials told the Chicago Tribune.

Donation dropoff

A donation dropoff event is scheduled for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church, 25519 West IL-134. Volunteers will be there to collect items donated for the family.

Those who drop off items are asked to wear masks and social distance. Anyone who would like to donate but cannot be there Saturday should email EvansFamilyDonations@gmail.com to schedule another dropoff or pickup time.

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