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'This is what we do': Safety Harbor community steps up to help single mom, son who lost home New Year's Eve

Investigators are still searching for the cause, but say the fire was contained to the second floor.

SAFETY HARBOR, Fla. — A day before the new year, a single mother and her teenage son are left without a place to call home. 

Just 24 hours after their home caught fire and all their belongings went up in flames, their neighbors are working together to get them help. 

"You've gotta start all over! They lost everything, so this is just what we do," Shawnee Fox said. 

Fox is an auxiliary member at American Legion Post 238 in the center of Safety Harbor. She was in charge of receiving donations all day Monday.

"This is incredible, like, what people have done and they're still wanting to do more," Fox said.

The community dropped everything from food to clothes and sheets. Even gift cards and monetary donations for Nicole and teenage son Griffin now left to start over. 

Safety Harbor Fire Chief Josh Stefancic says the fire sparked at the home on Conant Avenue early Sunday morning

Units from Safety Harbor, Clearwater, Dunedin, Oldsmar, and SunStar responded for a structure fire in a single family residential with heavy fire showing through the roof. Firefighters were able to contain the fire to second floor of the home, but the first floor was left with significant smoke and water damage. 

No one was injured.

"My mom called me, she lived across the street from them, and she called at about 6 o'clock. She asked if there was something we could do," Tamra Camilleri, a friend of Nicole's said.

She's experienced a house fire before, so without hesitation, she reached out to the community.

"I thought, 'Well, let me put a real quick post out.' I just thought we could maybe get them through the first couple weeks and see if that will ease their stress," Camilleri said.

Within minutes the community started responding, dropping donations off to their local American Legion post.

"It's gotta be like horrific waking up and knowing that like your house is completely burned down, and you have nothing. I just can't believe the amount of things that people have donated," Fox said.

Every donation made from the heart for this family in need will help them start over.

"2024 has got to get better! We're going to make this work for this family," Fox said.

Investigators are still searching for the cause of the blaze. Nicole wasn't home at the time, but her son was. She says their dog woke him up and is their hero. 

Right now they're staying at a friend's house and are doing okay. They're working on the next steps and trying to figure out a long-term living situation. If you'd like to support them, you can drop off things, gift cards, and monetary donations at American Legion Post 238 or donate here.

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