RIVERVIEW, Fla. — A different kind of help is on the way for the many families who lost everything in a Riverview apartment fire last Wednesday. A possible lightning strike to blame for the massive fire at the Allegro Palm Apartments.
Dozens of people without a home after lightning strike causes apartment fire in Riverview
Several members of the staff at Spoto High School, the school many of those displaced attend, are doing their best to identify the need for those who lost everything.
“It’s just heartbreaking,” said Anna Pedraza in student affairs.
"[This mom I just talked to] lost everything in Puerto Rico [during Hurricane Maria.] She comes here. gets this apt... now she has lost everything she has worked for since September."
Pedraza and School Resource Officer Catherine Brown are both making calls to those families affected who have students attending Spoto High.
“Birth certificates, social security cards, all of that gone in the fire,” said Deputy Brown. “Things that take time to be replaced and just inconvenient not to have.”
While Deputy Brown, Pedraza and the other staff members at the high school can’t replace those items, they can help with the immediate need.
“They are asking for underwear, over the counter medications, socks,” said Pedraza.
The donation drive is happening Monday through Thursday of this week from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the school.
Metropolitan Ministries is also still accepting donations for the more than 100 people who were affected by the fire.
