PLUM, Pa. — The Plum community is growing stronger by the day, rebounding from tragedy by relying on one another.
>> Plum House Explosion: What we’ve learned about the 6 victims, the legacies left behind
That willingness to help was on full display Thursday night at the Holiday Park Volunteer Fire Department.
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“The community itself is like a large family,” said Lori Shaulis, with the Holiday Park Volunteer Fire Department.
>> LATEST UPDATES: 6th person dies following Plum house explosion
Community members stopped by the department to fill large bins with basic items needed by those forced from their homes.
“The turnout’s just been incredible. It’s overwhelming, but it’s great for the families because they don’t have this stuff and they need it,” said Shaulis. “Even though they’re getting a lot of cash donations and stuff, some of these people are so displaced that they needed just simple toiletries.”
Around seven or eight of those families, who are still not allowed inside their houses, could be able to return as early as Friday, according to Jim Sims, Plum’s emergency management coordinator.
But that will be just to retrieve some belongings while inspectors continue to check the integrity of their homes.
Sims spoke to the families Thursday night at the Borough’s municipal building, alongside representatives from the Red Cross and Allegheny County Human Services.
Meantime, in the Rustic Ridge neighborhood, not far from the explosion site, families and kids gathered Thursday evening for a community kickball game.
It serves as a brief, but much-needed, escape from the trauma.
“It makes me very happy that people are responding and the kids are out having fun and the community has the outlet to get out and enjoy themselves,” said Justin Newman, who helped organize the kickball game.
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