Just before 8 a.m. on Monday, a fire broke out in Stephen and Missie Hesler’s home on Carlisle Lane in Sag Harbor, causing heavy damage to the house. Mr. Hesler was able to rescue the couple’s two dogs, Gus and Gabbie, from the flames.
The community is rallying around the Heslers, who are members of Sag Harbor’s volunteer fire department and ambulance corps. A crowd-funding campaign, online at gofund.me/14b3249b, had generated close to $40,000 in donations as of press time this week.
According to the account on GoFundMe, the Heslers “lost everything.” Their dogs, which needed to be resuscitated, remain in the care of a veterinarian. No injuries were reported otherwise.
“This will be a long process to rebuild their home,” wrote Michele Hesler, the couple’s sister-in-law.
According to a brief Southampton Town Police Department report, detectives and town fire marshals “are investigating the cause of the fire, which appears to non-criminal, at this time.” The East Hampton Fire Department provided assistance on the scene.