MILLCREEK, Utah — Many are recalling the terrifying moments a fire broke out in Millcreek on Friday.
“We were watching the flames. We were watching everything from our office window,” said Sheri VanBibber, director of Murray Partners 4 Prevention Coalition,” the black flumes kept getting worse and worse.”
It seemed the entire community had one thing in mind: How can I help?
VanBibber remembers the moment she needed to step in.
“I get a call last night from the Greek church saying, Okay, what do you need?” she said, "all of the phone calls started making me think we have got to do something.”
She immediately contacted the Murray Baptist Church, which has a clothes closet.
”People have jobs to go to Monday, and they have nothing to wear,” VanBibber said.
After getting approval, they put out a social media post saying the church was accepting donations and would be able to provide things like food bags, hygiene products, phone chargers and clothes to families in need.
“We were over there, and in an hour, it was crazy, what had happened," VanBibber said, ”with so much negativity going on, it just was amazing.”
The fire happened in Thom DeSirant’s district, and he said the city has been hard at work ever since.
“The biggest thing that these families are going to need is financial help,” he said, “the city will be meeting on Monday to give additional funds from the city's account to these residents.”
So, what can the public do to help?
Both the Murray Baptist Church and Millcreek City Hall are accepting donations, but organizers say monetary donations may be the most needed.
“Figuring out how to get a new birth certificate or a new title for their car or other items that are no longer there. We're going to need a lot of help for these families,” DeSirant said.
If families need assistance in transporting bigger items like furniture, the city said they can help.
“We have some vehicles. We haven't talked about how we're going to manage that. As soon as we get these residents new places to live, that is going to be another need,” DeSirant said.
Above all, the organizers are just proud of how much the community has rallied together.
“This is kind of the biggest fire that we've had in a residential area in Millcreek,” DeSirant said ,”it's been a really awful situation for the people involved. I can't imagine what they're going through, but I am just so proud of our city and our surrounding cities.”
Donation hours:
Millcreek City Hall:
1330 East Chambers Avenue, Second Floor
11am-9pm Saturday and Sunday, 8am-9pm next week
Pressing needs: clothing, hygiene and household goods
Murray Baptist Church:
184 E 5770 S, Murray, UT 84107
10:30am-1pm Sunday, 10-12pm Tuesday
Can provide food bags, phone chargers, hygiene times, clothes (diapers included)
To donate your time or if you have other questions, contact communications@millcreekut.gov
To make monetary donations, visit their website linked here.
