SPEARFISH, S.D. (KELO) — Just a week before Christmas, several families in Spearfish had to evacuate their homes due to a fire.

Just a few days before Christmas, Justice Showman and her family received news that they wouldn’t be able to return to their home for the holidays.

“I was actually at work when it happened, I had to leave work because we have two dogs so our dogs were in the apartment when it happened. So that was at noon on Friday so they put us up in a hotel down the street,” Justice Showman, apartment resident, said.

The fire happened right below Showman’s place at the Iron Creek Plaza Apartments. Most of their stuff is either destroyed or damaged. The two dogs had to be treated for smoke inhalation.

“On top of working, a two-year-old, we just have to kind of move everything and start over new, like right before Christmas, and it sucks,” Showman said.

However, things are starting to look up. Jay Ringelspaugh started a donation and fundraiser to help the seven families who had to be relocated.

“So we just want to make sure they have everything when they’re ready to go into new homes so that’s just one worry they don’t have right now,” Ringelspaugh said.

All of the donations collected here in Spearfish will be donated on Christmas morning. Which is anything from blankets, to hygiene products, to toys.

“I think this is what Spearfish does best is coming around our neighbors, supporting each other, and supporting our community and I knew as soon as I put an ask out, there would be a response and it has just been overwhelming,” Ringelspaugh said.

“If we didn’t have a community to help us, it would be a lot worse for all of us. What they are doing is amazing, we all appreciate it so much,” Showman said.

The man accused of starting the fire, Max Dice, is currently in jail. You can donate to the families impacted by the fire at any Great Western Bank to the ICP Benefit Fund.