Butler city firefighters are collecting money to help at Butler Township woman whose home on Roe Avenue was heavily damaged in a fire Tuesday morning.

She is the widow of a city firefighter.

The collection for Patty Deal comes after her house was ravaged by a fire that investigators believe started on the back porch. The blaze destroyed the porch and heavily damaged the home's interior and exterior rear wall.

Butler Township Fire Marshall Larry Christy estimated that the blaze caused $150,000 to $175,000 worth of damage.

Capt. Kevin McAfee said firefighters decided to start the collection because of the legacy of Deal's husband, Charles J. Deal, who was killed in August 1987 while fighting a fire on South Chesnut Street in Butler.

McAfee is one of the few members of the department who worked with Deal when he died 30 years ago. He said it's important to all firefighters to offer assistance to the family of one of their own.

“The fire service has a pretty strong tradition of taking care of widows of line of duty deaths,” he said, “and she's always been special to us. It's basically taking care of one of our own.”

McAfee said that anyone interested in donating can bring donations to the fire station at 110 N. Washington St. Checks should be made payable to IAFF Local 114.

The department is staffed 24 hours a day.