WOODSTOCK -- A mother and her five children are looking for a new place to live after a fire in their Woodstock rental home.
No one was injured, but Andrea Arango's family lost clothing, furniture and documents that could help them find a new home.
The fire broke out at the home on Thompson Street on Saturday night.
"Everything is gone, I lost everything," Arango said. "No matter if I wash it or clean it, there's still black burns in the clothes, so my children's clothes, bedroom, everything, it's just done. I have to start really from the bottom."
Arango said she's hoping to find somewhere nearby, but some of the documents requested by potential landlords were destroyed in the fire.
"Right now, I really need a place to stay for my children," Arango said.
In the meantime, the Salvation Army has found the family a place to stay in a hotel. The organization can also provide another interim option while they find somewhere new to live.
"Thankfully we do have an emergency house for families in needs such as this," Naomi Dalley with the Salvation Army in Woodstock and Norwich said. "At the present time, thankfully, it is vacant so we do have an opportunity to put them into our emergency house within the next couple of days."
Dalley said the Salvation Army can also help provide clothing and food.
"We provide things out of our thrift store for practical needs, if you will, and then any financial donations that people will give will be used to purchase needs that we don't have in the thrift store or for the food that they need, we give them through our food bank."
Woodstock Fire is still investigating the cause, but do not believe it is suspicious.
Arango said she's still in shock, but also thankful.
"My kids will give me the strength and I will rebuild, because they're the only ones I've got and they've got me," she said. "That's all that matters, so I know I will bounce back stronger."
Arango said her children's school has also given them clothes, and she'll accept whatever help people are able to offer. A fundraiser has also been set up for the family online.
