Central Islip family loses everything in accidental house fire
<p>An accidental fire consumed the Rivera family’s house on Friday – a place they have called home for generations. Raymond Rivera returned to the house Saturday morning and didn't find much salvageable.</p>
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Mar 17, 2018, 9:13 PM
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Updated 2,470 days ago
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A Central Islip family was able to escape a fire at their home, but has lost everything they owned in the process.
An accidental fire consumed the Rivera family’s house on Friday – a place they have called home for generations. Raymond Rivera returned to the house Saturday morning and didn't find much salvageable.
"Everything else is replaceable, [my family is] not," says Rivera. "So that's why I feel the strength that I could move on, I could keep the faith and just keep moving forward."
The father of five received word of the fire while he was working, and rushed home with no knowledge of the condition of his family.
"When I received the call, it was spotty on who made it out, who didn't, and what was going on," says Rivera. "I was very scared, very nervous. I didn't know what to expect."
Neighbors have pitched in to help the family with supplies as they pick up the pieces.
Fire officials say the blaze does not appear to have been criminal.
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