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Russell called the Merrimac Fire Department and rushed outside just after 2 p.m. There was nothing she could do but watch the flames grow stronger and engulf her Skunk Road home. And despite the firefighters' best efforts, it could not be saved. Russell and her nephew got out safely, and her son, who also lived there, wasn't home when the fire started. Though sadly, their cat Snow White hasn't been found and likely died in the fire, a GoFundMe set up for the family said.
Russell, who is a co-founder and CFO of SoulFest, a Christian music festival, had a lifetime of mementos from her career in the music industry in that house. While none of that can be replaced, Russell's friends have come together to help rebuild.
They created a GoFundMe with the hope of raising $100,000 to cover some of what the flames stole from her and her family. That includes all of the musical equipment her son, a professional musician, lost. They have raised more than $27,000 of that goal as of Wednesday, Aug. 10, but there is a long way to go.
Click here to learn more about the GoFundMe fundraiser.
Russell's family were not the only ones to suffer in the blaze. Paramedics rushed three Merrimac firefighters to the hospital for injuries they sustained while beating back the fire. One of them had an unrelated heart emergency. Officials did not release any updates on their condition.
Firefighters haven't determined what caused the fire, but officials said the home is likely a total loss.
There is a small silver lining to this tragedy. The firefighters' quick work kept the fire from spreading to a nearby wood and potentially reaching other homes.
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