MOUNTAIN HOME -- About a dozen families were displaced after a huge fire in Mountain Home on Thursday. The fire department helped all the families with money from their burnout fund, and used the entire balance of the fund.
"This is the largest fire in terms of people being displaced that I'm aware of in Mountain Home. 12 families, 12 structure fires basically," said Mountain Home Fire Chief Alan Bermensolo.
The Mountain Home Fire Department gave families between $1,000 and $500 to help with any expenses after the fire.
"It was pretty touching to talk to some of those folks who had lost everything and hand them a check for a thousand dollars with no strings attached," said Bermensolo.
The department started the year with $13,000 in the burnout fund, and spent the last $9,000 on helping the victims of the apartment fire.
"(It's) very rare that we would spend 100 percent of that fund in any one given year," the Chief said.
The department is turning to the community for help to replenish the burnout fund.
"We have a very giving community here," said Mountain Home Mayor, Tom Rist. "Anytime there's a disaster this size, the people do step up and give, and freely give."
Chief Bermensolo said winter is "structure fire season," so they very well may need more money for their burnout fund to help structure fire victims in the coming months.
"This needs to be paid forward as it always has in our community," he said.
Over the weekend, three different people donated to the burnout fund. Chief Bermensolo hopes the fund will reach $5,000-$10,000 by Christmas.
Donations to the Fire Department Burnout Fund can be made at the Mountain Home Fire Department located at 220 South 2nd East, Mountain Home Idaho, 83647. All contributions are tax deductible.
