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The explosion occurred moments before Susanne and Chris O’Brien, and their children, Lucius, 8, and Cassius, 3, awoke to fire alarms sounding in their Bernards Township home around 1:40 a.m. on Friday, July 21, a GoFundMe launched for their support explains.
“It turns out an unplugged 40v Ryobi battery in their basement exploded and caught fire,” reads the fundraiser, launched by family friend Regina Silverii.
“Chris suffered some burns trying to put out the fire but it was too hot and the smoke was already too much.”
Though the family ultimately escaped the home without major injuries, its interior has been “destroyed and [is] not safe at all right now,” Silverii writes, adding that the O’Briens are longtime members of the Somerset County community and “some of the kindest, most welcoming, and generous people.”
Photos from the campaign and social media show the devastation caused by the fiery explosion at the family’s Coriell Drive home:
Meanwhile, an update from Chris says insurance may not come through for 10 months or more:
Nearly $3,200 had been raised to provide the O’Briens with immediate financial support as they navigate their temporary and long-term housing plans and gather supplies.
“We wanted to pull together as a community to support them in their time of need, just as they would do for any of us,” Silverii writes. “They would never ask for help, but we need to band together to support them now, however we can.”
Click here to view/donate to the ‘Fire Recovery for the O'Briens’ campaign on GoFundMe.
“They are also very grateful for prayer and healing energy; so please support them in any way you can,” writes Silverii.
“Susanne and Chris have always been generous with their homes and heart, and I hope we can pull together and share with them in return during their time of immense need.”
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