NEW JERSEY (KYW Newsradio) — A South Jersey firefighter lost his home in a fire early Thursday. Fellow firefighters will host a benefit next month to help support him and his family.
Firefighters from the Hammonton Fire Department arrived at a two-story house engulfed in flames after a reported explosion just before 3 a.m. in the area of Middle and Columbia roads in Hammonton.
Officials say crews from three other counties helped extinguish the fire over the next three and a half hours. While everyone in the home escaped the fire, they were left with nothing in its aftermath.
The department revealed on Friday the house belonged to former Hammonton Fire Chief Domenick DiGiovannangelo and his family. His two sons are also volunteer firefighters.
The benefit will be a beef and beer at the Hammonton Vol. Fire Co. 2 on June 21. Tickets are $25 each.
A GoFundMe supporting the family has raised more than $13,000.
The New Jersey Division of Fire Safety is still investigating the cause of the fire.