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No one harmed in morning fire

From staff reports

A Lowell family escaped harm early Thursday morning as an electrical fire was contained to the home’s attic.

Lowell Adams Volunteer Fire Chief Josh Harris said there were two adults and eight children in the home when the fire broke out at 317 Fourth St.

“The call came in at 6:22 a.m. and we got on scene and there was a fire in the attic,” Harris said. “We put a good stop on it. We saved the house.”

The Beverly-Waterford Fire and EMS were also on scene.

Harris said there is a lot of smoke and water damage, so it will take some time to get the house liveable again.

Harris spoke with the state fire marshal and the fire was accidental.

Kristin Matheny, her boyfriend Andy Byers, and Matheny’s eight children ranging in ages from 3 to 18, were asleep when one of the girls woke up cold.

Harris said she smelled “something like burning marshmallows” and woke up her mother.

“We were very, very lucky we didn’t have a tragic end with that many kids in the house,” he said. “It’s tough sometimes. Everything went as good as it could.”

He said the family was taken to the firehouse, where they were kept warm until the American Red Cross came.

After the Disaster, a nonprofit organization which provides disaster kits to fire stations, was also activated. Joy Buskirk, who runs ATD, provides kits containing toothbrushes and toothpaste, body wash, soap, wash cloth and hand towel, as well as other items.

Harris is asking the public to help this family.

“When there are this many kids, the mother can only do much,” he said.

He provided ages and clothing sizes for the children:

¯ 18-year-old man – size 2xl shirt, size 42×32 pants and size 13W men’s shoes;

¯ 17-year-old woman – size 3xl shirt, size 18 women’s pants and size 10 women’s shoes;

¯ 12-year-old girl – size 14/16 shirt and size 9.5 women’s shoes;

¯ 11-year-old boy – size 14/16 shirt, size XL boys pants, and size 8 men’s shoes;

¯ 10-year-old boy – size 8 shirt, large pants and size 7 men’s shoes;

¯ 7-year-old boy – size 8 boys shirt and size 6 men’s shoes;

¯ 5-year-old boy – size 6 boys shirt, size 6 boys pants and size 12 boys shoes; and

¯ 3-year-old boy – size 5T or 6 shirt, size 5T or 6 pants and size 6 boys shoes.

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