Since then, the United Way of the Coastal Bend has established a recovery fund to support those affected by the fire, raising more than $40,000 to date.
CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — It has been just over a month since a massive cotton gin fire prompted evacuations in the city of Gregory, with multiple crews working for days to put it out. The fire resulted in the loss of homes and valuable possessions for several families.
Since then, a recovery fund has been established by the United Way of the Coastal Bend to help those impacted by the fire. The organization has already raised thousands of dollars in donations.
“Some people are still telling me they can smell the smoke in their homes,” said Blyth Swartsfager, the administrator for the city of Gregory.
Swartsfager said it’s not just the damage left behind by the cotton gin fire that remains visible — but also the ongoing strain felt by families.
“So we had a lot of families that in addition to homes that were lost, we have a lot of families that had some severe smoke damage done to their homes,” she said.
Shortly after the fire, a recovery fund was created for residents. But just a few days later, another blow came: a hailstorm.
“So we had a lot of people that had like a double dose of damage, right. They had the fire that happened to them and then we had the hail that came down on top of that. So some homes, they had fire damage and hail damage,” she said.
Stephanie Jordan, president and CEO of the United Way of the Coastal Bend, said that’s where their relief fund comes in. So far, the organization has raised just over $40,000.
“People a lot of times have to replace those items. Anybody who has moved into a new apartment or a new home knows that those expenses really add up,” she said.
Jordan said donating is simple — all residents have to do is visit the organization’s webpage.
“There are no fees, there’s no overhead costs, it’s just a service that we provide in the case of a disaster,” she said.
With the holidays now here — and many families still juggling repairs, Swartsfager hopes the fund can bring much-needed relief to those who need it most.
“This would help them with being able to make sure that they have some funds for the holidays,” she said.