Community members have pulled together to help a Nicholasville family who lost their home and pets to a house fire right before the holidays.

Smoke billowed out onto the streets from a duplex at Parker Place around 9 a.m. on Friday.

The couple who lived in the home managed to get out unharmed. Their nine-year-old daughter Taylor Deering, was already away at school.

One of their neighbors, Russell Anderson, called 911 after the owner of the home, Donna Smith, came to his door.

“She was hysterical,” Anderson said.

The fire started in the kitchen and spread from there, said Fire Chief Mark Case with the Nicholasville Fire Department. 

“It wasn’t intentional or anything,” Case said. “Just an unfortunate accident.”

The duplex endured extensive damage from fire, smoke, and water. The neighbors who lived on the other side of the duplex were not home at the time of the fire.

Though the couple made it out safely, both their dog and their cat died in the fire.

A GoFundMe web page has been set up by their neighbor, Rebecca Harris, to help raise money for the family’s basic needs and to help them through the holidays.

“They’re my neighbors, and I just wanted to do something for them,” Harris said.

The page has already raised over $200. Those interested in donating can do so at http://bit.ly/2hGyQMD.

“I knew that a little bit of cash would go a long way of helping right now,” Harris said.

Members of the community along, with local businesses, such as Frisch’s Big Boy, have also donated presents to the family who lost almost everything they owned a little over a week before Christmas.

Officer Jason Fraddosio with the Nicholasville Police Department purchased personal items including clothing and school supplies for the 9-year-old. Since most of the young girl’s presents were lost in the fire, the Nicholasville Fire Department also donated toys from their Firefighter Toy Drive.