Pocono News Section

Fire Guts Plymouth Home; Football Team Rallies to Help Family

Fire Guts Plymouth Home; Football Team Rallies to Help Family - Sunday, October 4, 2009 at 7:30PM EST

Reported by: Mark Hiller
Sunday, Oct 4, 2009 @ 07:30pm EDT
PLYMOUTH, LUZERNE COUNTY -- What started as a day of football fun turned into a huge loss for a Luzerne County family. Their house is in ruins after fire struck while their children were at the field.

Now, a youth football organization is rallying to help during this devastating time. Heavy smoke and fire pour from a double block home in Plymouth.

The fire started in the middle of the afternoon at 26 Willow Street. A family of four lives there.
The couple was home at the time. Their son and daughter were at the Shawnee Indians football field in Plymouth.

Cheerleading Coach Mary Kay Katchik said, "I was heartbroken because one of the girls that live in the home is my cheerleader."

Mary Kay Katchik is an "A" team cheerleading coach. She feels for the girl on her squad. "She was actually up at the football field helping us in our concession stand when she got notified that her home was on fire," she said.

The fire consumed both sides of the double block. No one was hurt but the victims lost virtually everything.

The Shawnee Indians immediately started taking up a collection at the field. Football fans from Plymouth as well as the competition from the Back Mountain pitched in.

The organization President Mark Ktytor said, "It's tough, it was real tough, you know. And we're happy that the community is doing stuff for us helping this family out."

This football organization considers itself a tight knit family that wants to help one of their own. "We're trying to get as many families together to help us donate some clothing, some material items, anything in the household that can help us out," said Katchik.

Group Treasurer Carol Stasukinas said, "We're very devastated for them. Obviously, we're going to do more fundraising throughout the week. We're going to see what we can do about getting clothes and anything else that the kids might need."

And it's not just adults who are willing to pitch in. Robert Amick of Plymouth said, "I'm gonna help out as much as I can for him."

All total seven people lived in the double block home. The Red Cross has been called to help. Authorities haven't released the names of the victims and there's still no word on a cause.