Scattered relics including framed photographs were placed on a hood of a car outside the residence. See below for video. Photos by Rick Racela.

WILDWOOD — A family displaced by a Christmas Day fire here is struggling to pick up the pieces and start the New Year in a new home.

Terilyn and her husband Paul Alexander’s apartment at 423 W. Bennett Ave., second floor, west, was consumed by fire Dec. 25.

The fire was reported about 5:45 p.m. Wildwood Fire Department, police and rescue units were dispatched to the scene along with North Wildwood fire personnel.

According to Captain Chris D'Amico, of the Wildwood Fire Department at the scene the cause of the fire remains undetermined and is still under investigation. D’Amico was unavailable for comment on the status of the investigation by deadline.

However, Terilyn Alexander believes that the blame lies with a brand new heating pad that was left plugged in.

The fire was contained to the one unit in the four-unit complex with the other units sustaining minor smoke and water damage, D'Amico said.

The residents, the Alexanders and their children, Donna Dempster and James Dempster III, were luckily not home at the time of the blaze. They had decided to make a quick visit at a friend’s home and the next thing they knew, they heard their address being called over a police scanner.

“I thought that couldn’t be our place,” said Terilyn Alexander. “But then it hit me.”

Alexander and her daughter said they could see the flames shooting over the rooftops as they headed home. Paul Alexander rushed ahead through the police barricade, concerned that his 15-year-old son, James, may have been inside the apartment.
“He was visiting his Aunt and was running late,” said Terilyn Alexander. “Thank God he was running late.”

Christmas presents, just opened that afternoon, and all of the belongings of the Alexander family were lost. And now, the American Red Cross is helping the family by providing emotional support, temporary housing and coordinating any donations to help them reestablish a home.

Red Cross volunteers have provided three nights shelter at a hotel, and vouchers for food and clothing. On Friday, the Alexanders were at county social services.

The good news is the family has found an apartment in the Villas and was hoping to move in yesterday, the first day of 2008.
Paul Alexander says the new place still needs furniture and could use a coat of paint.

“We’ve been together nine years and it is amazing what you accumulate in that amount of time and what things you actually need,” he said.

“Just going into a cabinet and getting a few glasses isn’t possible anymore,” said Terilyn Alexander.

“They lost everything in the fire,” said Marygrace Cantillo, Cape May County American Red Cross executive director, on Dec. 27. “We are not accepting donations on behalf of them,” she said, “but we are taking names and phone numbers (of those who want to help.)”

The Red Cross cannot take donations of physical items, said Cantillo, due to a lack of space and the fact the Alexanders do not have a place to store things.

“People have called all day today saying they have clothing or household items, or that they would like to send cash donations,” she added. “We’re hoping to do some coordination between people in the community who want to help them and the family.”

The family thanked Dr. Mary Ann Haflin and Dr. Raymond Marotta Jr. for their assistance in getting their medication. The Alexanders also wanted to extend their gratitude to the Lions Center, Cape May County Welfare and the Red Cross.

We’ve always been ones to donate,” said Donna Dempster. “It is so strange to be on the other side of it.”

“It definitely changes your perspective,” added Terilyn Alexander. “We won’t listen to fire whistles the same way again now that we know that it could be another family going through exactly the same thing.”

Those who would like to make a donation may call the Red Cross at 465-7382.