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Boy critical after Mahanoy City blaze
Published: December 22, 2009
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share thisMAHANOY CITY - A 5-year-old boy remained in critical condition Sunday night after an accidental fire that also injured his mother and sister one day earlier.
Kathleen McKerns, 31, of 616 E. Pine St., and her two children, Jason Sivak Jr., 5, and Paige Sivak, 9, were taken by ambulance Saturday to Schuylkill Medical Center-South Jackson Street after a fire began on their Christmas tree's electrical lights and spread to the second floor.
About 3:30 p.m. Sunday, McKerns was in stable condition and Paige Sivak had been discharged, according to a Schuylkill Medical Center official
Jason Sivak had been transported to Lehigh Valley Hospital, Allentown, on Saturday night, and was in critical condition about 9 p.m. Sunday, according to a hospital official.
The McKernses were left homeless, along with Debra Yerger, 51, and Cory Yerger, 31, whose 618 E. Pine St. home was also damaged in the fire.
Less than 12 hours after the fire, members of the Citizens Fire Company No. 2, who were hosting their annual Christmas party Saturday, decided they wanted to help.
A spur-of-the-moment collection at the party netted more than $700 in cash from members and guests and led to the fundraiser being put on the Facebook Web site.
Company members Courtney Downey and Johnny Desjardine both said they never expected the response, not only from Mahanoy City residents but also from those in surrounding communities.
Hundreds of items were collected, ranging from clothing to toys and games and other essentials that the three lost in the fire.
Downey said the items being donated are not only for McKerns and her children but also for the Yergers, who also lost many presents they had purchased for younger relatives.
"We looked at these people and thought what could we do to help," Downey said, thinking how hard it is to lose everything and especially around the Christmas holidays.
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