CONWAY – A family of five lost most all of their worldly possessions when a fire destroyed their home here Thursday afternoon.

Now, members of the greater Conway community and others are reaching out to help this family start over.

Conway Fire Chief Joe Barrett said he was already aware of one major item to assist the Daymon Richardson family.

“The family has been offered a mobile home to live in while they get back on their feet,” Barrett said. “We’re getting phone calls from other individuals offering household items.

“They lost pretty much everything they had,” Barrett continued. “Anyone that can see fit to reach out and help them needs to know that help will be very much appreciated.”

The family is in need of clothing. There are two daughters – age 10 (size 8 pants, size 10-12 shirts, underwear size 10) and age 18 (size 5/6 pants and underwear, and medium to large shirts); a 16-year-old son (men’s size 30-32 pants, small-to-medium shirts, and medium size boxers); the mother (size 12 pants, size 12 underwear, and large size shirts); and the father (size 32/32 pants, XL shirts, and size 32 medium underwear).

Those wishing to donate items can contact Barrett at 585-0174, Johnny Martin at 585-1111 or your local chapter of the American Red Cross. The Red Cross was called in to assist; using funds to house the family temporarily at a motel in Roanoke Rapids.

Barrett said Mr. Richardson was the lone family member at home (a single story, vinyl siding residence located at 203 Garris Street) when the fire broke out at around 2 p.m.

“He was in his yard, cutting grass when a neighbor yelled at him that there was smoke coming from the house,” Barrett said.

Soon afterwards, members of the Conway Volunteer Fire Department were on the scene. There they were joined by volunteers from the Severn Fire Department. Barrett said over 20 firefighters battled the blaze; the last unit cleared the scene around 5 p.m.

“We know the origin of the fire, but the cause is yet to be determined,” Barrett said, adding that SBI investigators are scheduled to arrive on Tuesday to sort through the rubble in an effort to find out how the blaze started.

“We appreciate the help of the Severn firemen as well as the efforts of Northampton County Emergency Management, Conway-Severn EMS, Conway Police Chief Billy Wayne Duke and the Northampton Sheriff’s Office,” Barrett said.

Fortunately, no one was injured in the blaze, Barrett said, adding that an EMS crew is required to be on the scene of a fire to set-up a re-hab program that monitors the vital signs of firefighters to ensure they do not overextend themselves.