A village in Dutchess County is rising from the ashes to support one another after multiple businesses and apartments were destroyed in a fire.
According to the American Red Cross, the organization is assisting 25 adults and seven children who lost their homes and pets in the fire at 10 Market St.
News 12 is told GoFundMe pages have been created, and people have donated food, money and more to assist one another.
A fundraiser page started by the town’s supervisor, Dr. Richard Thurston, has already raised thousands.
Surrounding areas like Poughkeepsie are also lending a hand.
"The tremendous resolve and working together. The town of Poughkeepsie. Town of Wappinger and the Village. The county. This is a very important gem stone in the county," says Thurston.
Luckily, ‘Wappingers Rises,’ a recovery relief group created three years ago, exists.
"Everyone, across the board, is doing everything that they can and as we say, 'Wappingers Rises' and we'll continue to support the community and do everything we can on our part to," says member Courtney Kolb.
The town supervisor confirmed the plan to bring the donations collected to the Knights of Columbus where the American Red Cross is based by tomorrow night.
"A fire like this is an emergency and that's why our volunteers stand up, come to scene, and support individuals who are impacted by this," says Kelly Formoso of the American Red Cross.
In 2017, a five-alarm fire ravaged a building about a block away on East Main Street, also known as Route 9D.
As of Wednesday afternoon, a firefighter who suffered smoke inhalation was receiving treatment at a hospital. Officials have also yet to declare the cause of the fire, but a chief told News 12 it may have started in the outside of the second floor.
Donations are still being accepted through
GoFundMe and smoke alarm installation by the
American Red Cross is also available free of charge.