GoFundMe page, Red Cross help family of 4 displaced by fire

Feb. 12--MOOERS -- A GoFundMe page has been started to help a family who lost everything in a house fire Friday night.

Shad Reinhart and Mara Faiivae had lived at 695 Woods Falls Road for about three years, Shad's father, Thorin, said earlier.

They have two children, Camdon, 2, and Theo, who is less than a year old.

"The Reinhart family has experienced some of the worst luck possible," organizer Jonathan Mackenzie Parker wrote on the fundraising page.

"They are seriously the kindest people around. They all would give you the shirt off their backs if you needed it."

As of Saturday afternoon, 30 donors had contributed $2,710 of the $5,000 goal.

NEIGHBOR

Mooers Volunteer Fire Department Second Asst. Chief Mark Fewster and his girlfriend were getting ready to leave for a retirement party Friday evening when they noticed cars stopping in front of their house.

"Then a car pulled into our driveway, came knocking on the door and said, 'The house behind you is on fire,'" Fewster said.

He looked out his back window and saw smoke rising from Shad and Mara's house, located less than 1,000 feet away.

Fewster hopped in his truck and drove down the long, winding driveway.

"By the time I got there, it was fully involved. Flames were through the roof."

He notified Clinton County Dispatch via his portable radio, and other people had placed calls reporting the fire.

UNDER INVESTIGATION

Mooers, Altona, Champlain, Chazy, Ellenburg Depot and Rouses Point were summoned to the burning home around 5:15 p.m.

Additionally, crews from West Chazy and Hemmingford, Quebec, two Champlain-Mooers EMS ambulances, County Deputy Fire Coordinators Mike Cahoon and Chris Trombley, and four county fire investigators responded.

Churubusco Fire Department stood by at the Mooers station, Fewster said.

The cause and origin of the fire remained under investigation Saturday.

Fewster said investigators planned to return to continue the probe later in the day.

'LOSING BATTLE'

The more than 50 firefighters had to use a pumper relay and at least 1,000 feet of large-diameter hose to get water up the driveway, Fewster guessed.

They utilized the pump house in the Village of Mooers, an old missile silo at the Mooers Town Garage and Altona Correctional Facility's hydrant as water sources, all of which were at least three miles away.

At around 6:45 p.m., Fewster called to shut down firefighting operations, in part due to the home's remote location.

"We were just fighting a losing battle at that time," he said. "It was just so cold and things were going to start to freeze up so we talked and we just decided that it was best if we shut down."

The fire itself was about 95 percent knocked down, the second assistant chief said, and the rest was going to burn itself out.

"I'm sure it's going to be a total loss," he added.

DOGS PERISHED

Though Shad, Mara and their kids were out of the house at the time -- Thorin has said they were shopping in Plattsburgh -- their four dogs perished in the fire, Fewster said.

He graduated with them from Northeastern Clinton Central School in 2010.

"They're very nice people."

Thorin and his wife, Sherry, owned the two-story log house where their son and his family lived.

They did not have insurance on the home.

THANKFUL

Fewster said the volunteers had a great turnout and thanked them for braving the cold.

He mentioned that it has been a busy winter, and fire personnel have had some good saves in the past couple weeks.

"Everyone is doing a really good job working together and everybody did a really good job last night" considering what they had to work with, he said.

Fewster is thankful his former classmates were not at home when the fire broke out.

"It's too bad about the dogs, but I'm glad nobody was hurt, especially (with them) having two small children."

RED CROSS

North Country Chapter of the American Red Cross volunteers did provide emergency aid to Shad, Mara and their sons, according to a press release from the organization.

Volunteers gave them financial assistance for shelter, food and clothing; offered emotional support; and gave them "comfort kits containing personal care items and stuffed animals for the children."

They will remain available to help the young family in the coming days.

Email Cara Chapman:

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Twitter: @PPR_carachapman

HOW TO HELP

Visit http://tinyurl.com/z8u4ps6 to donate to "Help a local family" and help Shad Reinhart, Mara Faiivae and their sons, Camdon and Theo, who lost their home to fire Friday night.

The family of four is also in need of clothing and shoes.

Shad wears large shirts, size 30-32 pants and size 11 1/2 shoes. Mara takes large shirts or sweatpants, size 12-14 pants and size 10 1/2 shoes.

Camdon takes 2T clothes and wears size 8/9 kids shoes, while Theo, who his grandfather says will start walking soon, wears 12-to-18-months clothing and size 4 shoes.

To coordinate donations, contact Shad's mother, Sherry Reinhart, at 593-8420.

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