How To Help Family Who Lost Everything In West Babylon House Fire

WEST BABYLON, NY - A Long Island man started a fundraiser after a family lost their home and dog in a devastating fire in West Babylon this week. The blaze broke out at the Ecker Avenue home early New Year's Eve. While on patrol, Suffolk Police officer Avital Donnenfeld noticed the smoke and was able to enter to wake resident Theresa Hoffman, who was sleeping in the home. Theresa then alerted her husband, Jason, who was in the shower at the time. The Hoffmans and Donnenfeld helped the couple's two sons, ages 6 and 12, to evacuate the home. No one was injured.

Sadly, the family's dog, Riley, a 2-year-old Jack Russell Terrier, died in the fire. In addition, many of the family's possessions were destroyed in the fire. After hearing the news, Patchogue resident David Goncalves started a campaign on GoFundMe to help the Hoffmans.

"Sorry to say that this morning [Jason] and his family have lost everything while getting ready for work," he wrote on the page. "The family got out fine but they have lost everything so we're asking for this New Years you help out a fellow brother in need for him and his family."

The goal of the page is to raise $25,000 to help the family. In just two days the fundraiser nearly reached its goal, raising a total of $19,875 as of Thursday.

To read more or to donate, visit the GoFundMe page here.

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