Former Swansea residents, restaurant owners, lose everything in house fire, here is how the community is helping

The community is helping a local family that lost everything in a house fire this week.

According to the department, the Middleborough Fire Department and mutual aid departments responded to an early morning fire on France Street Monday.

Fire had vented through the roof and several rooms were fully involved when the first apparatus arrived on scene. Department crews worked together to establish a water supply via tanker shuttle due to the area having no hydrants.

The single-family home had working smoke alarms including hard-wired detectors in all bedrooms which alerted all occupants of the fire who were able to safely self-evacuate with no injuries.

It took about 90 minutes to bring the fire under control and crews remained on scene extinguishing hot spots until approximately 9:00 AM. There were no reported firefighter injuries.

Lakeville, MA Fire Department, Carver Fire Department, Plympton Fire department, Halifax Fire Department, Bridgewater Fire Department, Rochester Fire Department, and Coastal Medical Transportation Systems assisted.

The home belongs to former Swansea residents and owners of Olivia’s Kitchen in Middleboro, Melissa and Tom Monte, and their 22-month-old daughter Olivia.

A GoFundMe fundraiser has been created to help the family.

Neighbors and friends are also coming together to provide essential support. Kate Stone Terrizzi and Tenille Langdon are coordinating relief efforts and collecting the following:

o Clothing:

o Daughter (Olivia): size 2T

o Mom (Melissa): size small

o Dad (Tom): size extra large

o Diapers: size 5 or pull-ups size 3T

o Gift cards for food and essentials

Middleborough 𝐃𝐫𝐨𝐩-𝐨𝐟𝐟 𝐋𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬:

• 27 France Street (front farmer’s porch)

• 44 Indian Meadow (totes in front of the house)

• 52 Center Street (Vintage Vault: Sports Cards, Collectibles and Antiques)

The cause of the fire is under investigation.