WILLMAR -- The community response to Friday morning's downtown fire began just minutes after six families were displaced from upstairs apartments in the 400 block of Litchfield Avenue Southwest.
Even as firefighters were still working inside the building, representatives from the Salvation Army were quickly responding to immediate needs, like baby formula and bottles for an infant. Around 11:45 a.m., a Domino's pizza delivery driver arrived with pizzas for the firefighters. The Salvation Army canteen truck was used to feed the emergency crews.
Stacey Roberts, executive director of the United Way of Kandiyohi County, was quickly rallying resources from the Salvation Army, Red Cross, from the United Way and area businesses.
The first step was much more basic -- inform the residents that they weren't going to be going home Friday night. The residents wouldn't be allowed back into the building until at least Saturday, according to Willmar Fire Chief Marv Calvin.
"We are trying to find people, if they were working, to let them know," Roberts said.
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The agencies were planning a 3 p.m. meeting with residents at Bethel Lutheran Church to provide a place to stay and basic needs.
"The resources are coming together," Roberts said. "We are assuring the families that they will be taken care of."
Abdulcadir Gaal of the Somali Connection, which is located in the building, was working to translate for the residents. He speaks both Somali and Spanish, and was impressed by the emergency response in any language.
"These guys are quick. They are professionals," Gaal said. "I tried to call 911, but they were already here."
