N.C. Fire Capt. Loses Home to Flames

April 21, 2016
The community is responding to help the firefighter and his family.

When Theresa Creedon heard that the Montcrieff family had lost their home and nearly all their belongings in a fire, she didn’t hesitate to do her part to help them recover.

“God forbid, if the same thing ever happened to me, I know they would do the same,” Creedon said after dropping off several bags of donated items at the Half Moon Volunteer Fire Department.

Robert “Monty” Montcrieff is a captain with the Half Moon department and a firefighter at Camp Lejeune, where he works with Creedon’s husband.

“Monty is a man above men and would do anything for anyone,” Creedon said.

The community is stepping up to return the favor.

“Absolutely,” Creedon said.

Half Moon VFD Chief Philip Dallas said there has been an outpouring of help in the days since the Tuesday afternoon fire, with individuals and businesses giving everything from food for the family to a place for them to stay.

Dallas said the family has asked for privacy at this time and thanked the community members for doing their part to assist in the family’s recovery.

“I would like to extend special thanks to everyone within our community that is contributing their time, talents, and finances to help our brother and his family move forward,” Dallas said.

Dallas held a press conference Thursday morning to provide a brief update on the fire investigation and to let the community know ways they can help the family.

He said the investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing and remains undetermined.

Firefighters responded to a fire about 3:15 p.m. Tuesday at 160 Whaley Field Road only to find it was the home of a fellow firefighter and a 20-year member of their department.

“For something like this to happen, it’s a big impact on us. As our brother and his family go through this, we go through it with them,” Dallas said.

Dallas said the fortunate thing is that the family is safe and none of them were inside the house when the fire broke out.

“Our brother and his family are thankfully alive because his wife had just left to pick up their children from school while he worked outside in the yard. Capt. Montcrieff, in an off duty status, sustained minor injury trying to assist getting his pets out of the house before fire crews arrived and sadly some did perish,” Dallas said.

Montcrieff was taken to the hospital due to respiratory issues and was treated and released later.

Dallas said the department has set up means for the community to help the family on its road to recovery.

- All donations of material goods such as clothes and household items can be dropped off at Half Moon Volunteer Fire Department at 4835 Gum Branch Road in Jacksonville.

Dallas said the department will make sure items get directly to the family and any extra donated items not needed by the family will be donated back to the community through Richlands Community Outreach.

He said there are also two official options for monetary donations for the Montcrieff Family Relief.

A fund has been set up through Marine Federal Credit Union under the name Montcrieff Family Relief Fund. A family member has also established a gofundme account entitled Help the Montcrieff Family and can be reached at gofundme.com/2nj8pfds.

Dallas said there have also been other efforts within the community to help, including a collection by Stateside Elementary School, where one of the Montcrieff children attends and the other is a former student.

Dallas said anyone with questions about how they can help can contact the Half Moon Volunteer Fire Department at 910-455-8760.

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©2016 The Daily News (Jacksonville, N.C.)

Visit The Daily News (Jacksonville, N.C.) at www.jdnews.com

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