Families seek help after fire destroys homes in Manson orchard

MANSON – Two Manson families are asking for help after their homes were destroyed in a fire on Tuesday, April 29.

The Torres and Duarte families both live in trailers in an orchard in Manson. Both report the fire getting to their homes Tuesday between 4:30 and 5 p.m. The cause of the fire remains unknown.

According to a GoFundMe post, the fire started behind a neighbor’s house, but the Duarte family's home sustained the most damage.

“My parents are hardworking people, and for us to live in that home, my dad had to work tirelessly in the orchard to provide for us,” wrote Kimberly Duarte on the fundraiser page. “Unfortunately, the cause of the fire is still unknown. The fire started behind our neighbor's house, but our home suffered the most damage, and we lost all of our necessities.”

The Torres family, which includes parents and eight children, lost their residence and many personal belongings. The father, who works in a local orchard and is known in the community as a hardworking orchard employee and skilled mechanic, is currently focused on helping his family recover. They are staying in an RV temporarily while they search for long-term housing, GoFundMe page organizer and family friend Jessy Gomez said.

The families are using GoFundMe to raise funds to recover from the loss and replace essential belongings. As of Wednesday, both fundraisers are active and accepting donations.

Links to the fundraisers:

• https://www.gofundme.com/f/aid-needed-torres-familys-fire-tragedy
• https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-the-duarte-family-rebuild-after-fire

No injuries have been reported, and further information about the fire has not been released by local authorities.

For more updates, visit GoFundMe.com.