WINTHROP, Mass. — A Winthrop family is receiving an outpouring of support after a devastating house fire destroyed their home just hours before they welcomed their first child.
The Keenan family lost everything when a fire tore through their River Road home Sunday evening. Just hours later, Chiara Keenan went into labor and gave birth to a healthy baby girl Monday morning. The couple named their daughter Giannina Grace.
Now, neighbors are stepping up to help the family rebuild and prepare for life with their newborn.
“I can’t even imagine what it was like to have to deliver a baby knowing that you don’t have anything to go home to or a place to go home to,” said neighbor Barbara Murphy. “We’re here for them.”
Residents say the tragedy has sparked an overwhelming community response, with people looking for ways to donate and support the family during an especially challenging time.
“We’re such a good community, so everybody’s rallying, trying to take up donations and help them,” Murphy said. “You want to bring a baby home. They had their whole nursery set up, so you want to bring a baby home to something.”
Neighbors said they are heartbroken that the Keenans will not be able to bring their newborn daughter home to the house they had prepared for her arrival.
“I think there’s a lot of people donating, and we’re planning on donating or giving a gift card — whatever we can do to help make it easier,” said neighbor Ryan Gaughan. “Something like this is tragic when you lose your house, especially when you’re preparing for a baby.”
Fortunately, everyone escaped the fire safely. However, Winthrop’s fire chief said four families were displaced by the fire.
“I’ve never really seen anything like this up close,” Gaughan said.
According to the fire chief, investigators believe the fire may have started when an electric vehicle parked in a driveway caught fire, spreading to and ultimately destroying two homes.
Despite the loss, neighbors say the community remains committed to helping the family move forward.
“I was born and raised here, and I lived in California for a while and came back,” Gaughan said. “That’s because of the community.”
Social media has already been flooded with messages from residents offering support and asking how they can help. Community members say they are working to establish donation efforts and will share information once plans are finalized.
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