Patrizia Carcarey, left, and husband Steve Carcarey at their Collegeville Italian Bakery Pizzeria.
'They're family to us. They're not employees, they're family,' says co-owner Steve Carcarey
Collegeville Italian Bakery Pizzeria Napoletana co-owners Steve and Patrizia Carcarey have put a call out to the community to help two employees whose family were victims of a devastating fire in Norristown this week.
Five people, including two children, were rescued early Tuesday morning from their second floor dwelling along the 500 block of Cherry Street in Norristown as firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze. Among them were Oscar and Bibiana Reyes, their two daughters, Allison and Michelle, and Oscar’s brother, Carlos, according to a Collegeville Italian Bakery Pizzeria Napoletana Facebook post.
At the bakery located at 3846 Ridge Pike in Collegeville, Oscar works as one of the “pizzaiolis” and Bibiana works at the bakery counter. Bakery representatives took to social media on Tuesday to share the news of the devastating tragedy after the Reyes family’s residence “caught fire and they lost everything.”
Four people were taken to the nearby Jefferson Einstein Montgomery Hospital following the early morning incident, Norristown Fire Chief Tom O’Donnell told The Times Herald on Tuesday, with one child later transferred for further treatment at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
“By the grace of God, they all were able to escape, but they have a long road ahead of them,” the Facebook post read in part. It went on to say that “Bibiana is also pregnant with their third child.”
Flames erupt in the early morning hours of Sept. 10, 2024 during a fire on Cherry Street in Norristown.When Steve Carcarey got the “tragic … early text message from the family,” he knew they had to do something to help. The Carcareys urged area residents to donate clothes, gift cards, along with baby, household and personal care items for the Reyes family.
“These two are hard workers, fantastic people and always go above and beyond to serve our customers,” the Facebook post states. “Our family and business never hesitates to help our community and now we are asking you all to help us lift up two of our own in their greatest time of need.”
The Facebook inquiry has gained more than 1,000 reactions and 535 shares since it was posted Tuesday afternoon. The post also included a Venmo QR code for people to donate.
The posting on Collegeville Bakery’s Facebook features a photo of the family.‘Family to us’
The Reyeses have worked at the Collegeville-based establishment for nearly 10 years, according to Carcarey, who stressed that “they’re family to us. They’re not employees, they’re family.” He described the “work ethic, commitment [and] dedication” the Reyeses have to food service.
“I’m a firm believer [that] you can’t teach work ethic and, and they have it, they’re great workers,” he said Wednesday. “They provide for their children, their daughters, and they’re good people, and that’s … you want in somebody and they’re just great, great people.”
While it’s unclear how much has been raised so far, Carcarey said that he “think[s] it’s going be pretty substantial for the family.” Along with gift cards and money, he said other donations including furniture, a baby stroller, clothing, silverware, and kitchen items have already been dropped off by neighbors, former employees and customers.
“We’re trying to give the family their peace and just respect the family, and we took upon ourselves to do this for them,” he said.
O’Donnell had classified the blaze’s cause as “undetermined,” but “not criminal in nature.” He noted the fire impacted two homes, displacing a total of 10 people. The residences are uninhabitable at the present time, but O’Donnell emphasized while the damage was extensive, it still appears to be “all fixable.” Fire victims are being assisted by the American Red Cross, he said.
Firefighters are pictured navigating through smoke while working to extinguish the flames of a fire in the early morning hours of Sept. 10, 2024 at a residence on Cherry Street in Norristown.“I can’t say enough about this community … what they’ve done in just one day to get this family back on their feet and become a family again,” Carcarey said. “And it’s just a testament to our community and, again, anybody that ever went through this … I think you would want this outpouring of support from the community.”
Visit the “Collegeville Italian Bakery Pizzeria Napoletana” Facebook page for more information.
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