KITTANNING — You just don't spend a lot of time thinking about a toaster.

But when Bobby Nemchek, 33, saw one among the household goods donated to his family, it struck him: His family lost all those possessions that people take for granted.

Then friends and strangers rallied to help bring normalcy back to his family.

“It's great to see the community I live in pull together,” Nemchek said.

They are pulling together for his family because the circa-1902 house that Nemchek lived in his entire life, in the 800 block of Donegal Township's Gameland Road, was destroyed by fire more than a week ago.

The blaze, which began about 9 a.m. Jan. 12, was so extensive that it's likely the cause will never be determined, but officials believe it was accidental.

Nemchek, his mother Janet Nemchek and his daughters, 8-year-old Kaylynn and 9-year-old Abigail, were left without a place to live or a possession to their names.

Lost was the piano Kaylynn was learning to play. The children's Christmas gifts, some of which had not yet been opened. The family's pet angel fish. The military memorabilia that Nemchek had saved from his father and had planned to pass on to his children.

All gone.

Nemchek, who was working at Schneider's One Hour heating and air conditioning when the fire began, said it was only later he realized that his work uniform was the only outfit he owned. The family has no insurance.

Still, Nemchek said he's just glad no one was hurt.

“As long as (my family) is good, I'm fine,” he said. “I can work on things, and I can't say thanks enough for the prayers, donations and helping hands from the community.”

Nemchek said people have raised money for his family and donated clothing, furniture and household goods.

After a three-day stay at the Days Inn in Butler Township that was paid for by the Butler chapter of the American Red Cross, he found an apartment in Kittanning and is keeping life as normal as possible for his children. The girls have not missed a single class at Sugarcreek Elementary School in the Karns City School District.

“They are wonderful,” Nemchek said. “They're the best girls a father could ask for. Just going from situation to situation and keeping their spirits up.”

The girls haven't seen their former house yet. A neighbor, Judith Oshlick, drove the girls to school on the day of the fire.

“They got to school. They were chatty and happy,” Oshlick said.

Nemchek said he still has not taken them to the house because he doesn't want them to witness such a loss.

“They are too young,” he said.

Additionally, Nemchek said many members of the community, including some of his buddies in the U.S. Army Reserves and some of the firefighters who battled the blaze, have checked on the family's well being.

“We are cleaning up and trying to get back to a routine,” Nemchek said. “There's a lot to do and a lot to get done.”

Among the efforts to raise money for the family was a raffle at the Millerstown Inn in Chicora to help raise money. The raffle, organized by Oshlick's husband and neighbors Tracy and Karen Cain, raised about $700.

Oshlick's daughter and a friend, both seniors at Karns City High School, are having a fundraiser in all three district school buildings as a part of their senior projects. Additionally, a GoFundMe page has raised more than $8,000 for the family.

Nemchek said he is unsure if he will try to rebuild the house that his father bought in 1985. He'd like to stay in the neighborhood and “it's a beautiful piece of property.”

But cost may ultimately prove prohibitive since the family still is responsible for the mortgage on the former home.

“It's really weird. I'll find myself driving there like I still live there,” he said. “And I have to catch myself and realize the house isn't there anymore.”

Staff reporter John Bojarski contributed to this report.

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