Community Pledges to Replace Toys Lost in West Virginia Fire

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) -- Church and civic groups have pledged to replace more than 2,000 toys collected for Toys for Tots that were destroyed by a fire in the garage where they were being stored.

The fire, which broke out Thursday afternoon at the Huntington home of Michael Hines, destroyed about $7,000 worth of toys, the garage and Hines' car. Hines is a member of Huntington Detachment 340 of the Marine Corps League and is coordinator of its annual Toys for Tots campaign.

Hines was not home when the fire started. His home sustained minor damage.

``I don't care about my car or the garage or the house,'' Hines said as he fought back tears while sitting in his living room. ``I just hope I can still give these kids a Christmas. I've worked Toys for Tots for six years, and I've never let a kid down. I don't want to start now.''

The toys were going to be distributed at his home Saturday to about 400 children.

Hines said Huntington firefighters told him they do not know how the fire started.

Donations to replace the destroyed toys started almost immediately. Firefighters at the scene collected $120. Members of Christ Temple Church told Hines a few hours later that they were buying 200 toys.

By 6 p.m. Thursday, WOWK-TV 13 had received nearly $8,000, said John Fawcett, the station's creative services director. The Fire Chiefs Association of Cabell County pledged $500.

St. Mary's Medical Center officials were working on securing a space for distribution of the replacement toys, which is scheduled for Saturday.