Community called to help family displaced by Columbus Avenue fire

PERKINS TWP. — Friends and family members are calling for the community to help out a family left devastated by a fire on Columbus Avenue on Wednesday.No one was injured in the fire, which firefighters began tackling shortly before 1 p.m. Each of five residents – two of whom were siblings living in separate upstairs or downstairs apartments — either made it out without firefighters' assistance or were not home at all when the fire broke out in a first-floor chimney.The residence itself suffered extensive damage, with Perkins fire Captain Rich Miller describing it as a "total loss." Firefighters called in an excavating company on Wednesday evening to tear down some walls where they could not access lingering hot spots.Andrea Rodriguez, a friend of second-floor occupant, Jennifer Pappenfuss, said the residents had been able to salvage very little from the home in the days following the fire."They're going to need everything," she said. "We just want to reach out as far as we can into the community."At least three accounts cropped up on the crowd-funding website GoFundMe this week to that end. Rodriguez, who set up one with another friend, Shelly Allen, said donations to either account will help the family rebuild."There was no insurance (one the home)," she said. "So this is where the GoFundMe account comes into play."A family member, Kristeen Dureck, on Wednesday said the residence had remained in the same family since 1962. Dureck and three siblings, including Jennifer Pappenfuss and Matthew Dureck, grew up there. Pappenfuss lived with her husband, Jeff, on the second floor, while Dureck, Tammy Matthews and Matthews' son lived on the first floor.Rodriguez said Jennifer and Jeff Pappenfuss are staying with family members, while Dureck and Matthews are staying in a rental property that Dureck maintains.In addition to monetary donations online, Rodriguez said she would accept clothing donations for the family through her office: TLC Home Health Care of Ohio, Inc., 1604 E. Perkins Ave., Suite 209. These donations can be dropped off Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.Rodriguez said requested sizes include women's size eight pants, medium shirts and size nine shoes, as well as men's XL shirt and size 12 wide shoes.Anyone interested in donating non-clothing items can contact Rodriguez at 419-908-1694.Want to donate?gofundme.com/jeff-jennifer-papenfuss-fire-fundgofundme.com/dureck-family-house-firegofundme.com/tammys-firefundReach reporter Nicki Gorny at gorny@sanduskyregister.com and follow her on Twitter at @Nicki_Gorny.As flames start to bellow out of the house, firefighters from Sandusky and Perkins Township are ordered out of 2719 Columbus Ave. on Wednesday, March 15, 2017.