UPDATED Oct. 12 at 8:56 p.m.—The Fire Marshal determined that the cause of the fire was "careless disposal of smoking materials."

 

DALTON, Mass. — A GoFundMe was established to help the victims of Monday evening's fire on High Street.

 

At the time of publication, more than $5,000 had been raised of the $20,000 goal. The fundraiser's organizer Molly Gingras has been friends with one of the home's occupants, Madison Wallace, since middle and high school. 

 

She asked Wallace's permission to start the GoFundMe to aid in rebuilding the lives of her and her father, Kevin Wallace, because she had seen other successful fundraisers that raised similar amounts for victims of local fires. 

 

"I think Berkshire County is a very strong community and people are very motivated to help each other out," Gingras said. "And I'm hoping by putting this information out there and just making more people aware of the fundraiser that they will do the same in this situation."

 

Although it was just Madison and her father living there at the time, it was a place she and her brother had called home their whole lives, Gingras said. They are currently living with Madison's mother, Julie Wallace, in South County. 

 

They had been preparing to move away prior to the fire so it is unclear if they will rebuild the home. 

 

Madison Wallace told Gingras the fire was the result of a mouse chewing through a wire on the porch ceiling fans. *Updated—The Fire Marshal determined that the cause of the fire was "careless disposal of smoking materials," Interim Fire Chief Robert Czerwinski said. 

 

The structure was fully involved when firefighters arrived on Monday.

 

The Wallace family lost their dog and two cats to the blaze that took more than an hour for firefighters to knock down. 

 

"I know her personally as one of the sweetest, kindest people I've ever met. She's been maintaining a very positive attitude about this. Even among the loss of her pets," Gingras said. 

 

"She has been very courageous about moving on. And her parents are also very sweet people."

 

When firefighters arrived on scene flames had extended up the front of the house and into the eaves and the attic, interim Fire Chief Robert Czerwinski said. An image posted on Facebook shows the porch section of the building engulfed in flames.

 

The home is more than 100 years old and had a lot of void spaces that the blaze could travel, Czerwinski said.  

 

Make a donation here.