Boy, 9, dies in East Coventry fire
EAST COVENTRY » A devastating fire took the life of a 9-year-old boy earlier this year, leaving a community mourning.
Evan St.Clair, 9, of East Coventry, was pulled from a house fire in June and pronounced dead at the scene. Following the incident, the community rallied around the family, creating fundraisers and showing their support could receive free smoke detectors for their homes, hoping to make a lasting impact on the community about fire safety.
The fire was reported around 5:30 a.m. in the first block of Buckwalter Road near the corner of Ellis Woods Road on June 25. Multiple fire departments responded to the blaze. Thick, white smoke billowed out from the windows of the home while
crews stood on ladders to cut through the roof.
Reports said the boy’s father arrived home, saw the fire and attempted to save him but was unsuccessful. Evan T. St.Clair died of smoke, soot and superheated gas inhalation and carbon monoxide poisoning, according to authorities.
Following the fire, community members stepped up to show their support.
To help pay for the service and related costs, two fundraising campaigns were launched and collected more than $15,000. The first campaign, which began the following Monday, was well on its way toward reaching its $10,000
fundraising goal having raised over $9,300. The campaign was started by Danielle Yusko of Gilbertsville.
“Evan could put a smile on anyone’s face and I will always remember him, smiling,” she wrote. “We would like to take the financial burden off of Evan’s families for the funeral/ memorial expenses as well as help them to start over. I am at a loss for words as these families will need to soldier on after losing their home and all of its contents as well as their family members. All I can say is, these beautiful people need our help as life is precious. Thank you for all of your kind thoughts, help, and prayers.”
The second campaign, which launched the following Tuesday, raised over $5,000 toward its $10,000
goal. The campaign was started by Dawn Major Zelinske of Pottstown.
“Our Evan was all-boy — loving Legos, Nerf guns, camo, and playing with his friends. Yet he was kind and sweet and quick to say, ‘I love you,’” she wrote. “Many are asking what they can do to help. As a community, we can help by taking the financial burden of funeral expenses off of the St.Clair and Shaner families. None of us expects to have to bury our child. All donations are greatly appreciated to help offset these unexpected costs. The St.Clair and Shaner families thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers at this difficult time.”
Meanwhile, the students in Alison Kulp’s fourthgrade class at North Coventry Elementary School
created a slideshow presentation online in Evan’s memory featuring photos of him. To view the presentation visit http://bit. ly/2thA7lv
Susan Lloyd, principal at North Coventry Elementary, took to Twitter to react to the tragic news of Evan’s death.
“The students, parents and staff of North Coventry Elementary wish to express our deepest sympathy to his family,” she wrote. “Our hearts are broken by the loss of our student and friend.”
Evan’s parents, Tracey Shaner and Greg St.Clair, and their respective spouses, Daniel Shaner and Lissa St.Clair, thanked the community members for their support.
“We’d like to thank everyone for their generosity, kindness and support,”
they said. “There’s no words to say how great it makes you feel as a parent to see the impact your child has on everyone else. He just made friends wherever he went.”
They thanked the Cattermole-Klotzbach Funeral Home in Royersford for its support, generosity with the cost and help in preparations. They also thanked Lloyd and North Coventry Elementary along with the first responders who were at the scene of the blaze.
“We’re devastated and having such amazing people surrounding us in this time has been a blessing,” the parents said. “Everyone has just been so supportive, kind and generous. We just want them to know we appreciate it and can’t thank them enough.”
In December, Tracey Shaner gave back to the community by assisting Norco Fire Company in promoting their Saving Lives Campaign in memory of her son. The program offers smoke detectors to residents in the area who can’t afford them or aren’t sure where to start.
“I knew I had to do something and I started a 5K and a campaign for a Day of Kindness. When Chuck called me about the campaign I said, ‘Absolutely, I’d be honored.’ My son was an amazing little boy and always out doing the right thing. I knew he would want me to make sure this didn’t happen to another family, his friends or anyone outside of that. He wouldn’t want this to happen. He’d want to save them. It’s an amazing program and I feel so blessed and honored to be a part of it,” said St.Clair-Shaner.