Temecula Apartment Fire Displaces Several Families

TEMECULA, CA — A day after a fire ripped through an apartment complex in Temecula, damaging or destroying a total of eight units, the community is coming together to raise money for some of those affected.

The blaze was reported about 3:50 a.m. Thursday in the 41000 block of Margarita Road, which is near the Promenade Mall, according to the Riverside County Fire Department. And though it was contained just about an hour later, it had already caused significant damage to several homes. Four of them were considered significantly damaged or destroyed.

The James family "lost everything including their two beloved cats, Max and Leo," according to a GoFundMe account set up to help them.

"They were able to escape with only the pajamas they were wearing at the time," the page states. As of Friday afternoon, just over $3,600 had been raised. Click here if you'd like to donate.

Jon-Paul and Krystle Lapasinski and their three young children also lost everything in the fire, including their cat.

"Krystle was awaken by the sound of a crackling fire and once realizing what was happening was able to get her 3 children and their father up and out of the second floor apartment uninjured," a GoFundMe page set up by her mother states. A firefighter later told Krystle that her apartment was a total loss.

So far, $200 has been raised for the woman and her children in the account set up by her mom, and another $2,740 has been raised in the account set up by her cousin, Naloni King. Click here if you'd like to donate.

If you don't have the financial means to donate, King says they are also in need of clothing and shoe donations in the following sizes, which can be dropped off at La Cocina Bar & Grill at 32459 Temecula Pkwy, suite D103:

• Dad- 38/40 pants, XL shirt and 10.5 shoes
• Mom- 4 pants, small shirts and 7 shoes
• Kiera- girls size 10 clothes and women’s size 5 shoes
• Kaley- 5T clothes and 9.5T shoes
• Jackson- 2T and size 7 shoes.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

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