SANFORD — In times of tragedy, either the best or worst of human nature can come out. In the case of a fire that destroyed the home of Sanford Police Detective Colleen Adams and her two young daughters, human nature at its best has come to the forefront.
In an outpouring of support from the community, especially from Adams’ police colleagues from near and far, thousands of dollars have been raised to help her and her family. A new rental home has been secured, and clothes and other items for and her children have been donated.
Fire struck the Adams home at 440 Ossipee Hill Road in Waterboro on Thursday morning. The Waterboro Fire Department received a report of the fire at 9:30 a.m. Luckily, no members of the Adams family were home and no people were injured. But in addition to losing their home, Christmas presents and most of their possessions, the family pets, two dogs and one cat, perished in the fire.
The investigation into the cause of the fire has been completed. “The fire originated in the basement,” State Fire Marshal’s Office Sergeant Ken Grimes said in a telephone interview on Friday. “There was a malfunctioning of the electrical system,” he said.
“There are a variety of reasons for electrical malfunction,” Grimes said, such as a panel weakening over time or problems during manufacturing or installation. Sometimes, there are warning signs of a problem, such as a smell or odor, but often there are no signs, he said.
Despite the devastating loss for Adams and her children, they are also seeing how generous people can be.
On Thursday, a gofundme page was set to raise $10,000 for the family. After that goal was exceeded, the new goal is $20,000 and by 3 p.m. on Friday, more than $13,000 had been raised and 187 people had made donations.
Among the donors were the Maine Criminal Justice Staff who donated $100 and wrote on the gofundme page “Colleen, hang in there, your blue family has your back.”
Casey King, who donated $200, wrote “Colleen, please let us know if there is anything we can do to help you and your family or if there is anything you are in need of, please do not hesitate! With love from the King Family & Boston PD”
In addition, the Saco Police Department is conducting its own fundraising for 30 days. “For participating members, they will be able to grow facial hair and wear blue shirts/turtle necks under their uniform shirts, fingernail polish, in support of Detective Adams to have a Christmas for her kids and start to rebuild her life,” Saco Police Sergeant Ken Foss said in an email on Friday.
“The outpouring of support … It’s really unbelievable,” Adams colleague at the Sanford Police Department, Detective Sergeant Matthew Jones said.
Adams, he said, is still processing the situation and focusing on helping her children deal with the trauma, and not talking to the media.
Adams “is very humble. She doesn’t ask for anything” Jones said. But with all the generosity coming her way, “she was overcome withe emotion,” he said.
Despite the tragedy, Jones said, the family “is in really good spirits. They’re really resilient kids.”
Through a connection of one of the Sanford officers the Adams family have a new rental home, in Sanford, that they’ll be moving into soon. First, may of Adams’ colleagues and friends will show up at the home, which is furnished, to put on a fresh coat of paint and decorate it for he holiday.
“A lot of people want to help,” Jones said.
To donate to the Adams family, to gofundme.com/colleen-adam039s-house-fire
— Associate Editor Dina Mendros can be contacted at 780-9014 or dmendros@journaltribune
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