NEW IPSWICH – A fund has been set up for the Paris family, the New Ipswich residents who lost virtually everything – including their pets – in an overnight fire earlier this week.

Kim Paris, a former Nashua resident, along with her husband, Mark, and their sons, Samuel and Daniel, escaped the fast-moving fire thanks to the barking of their puppy, Gracie.

“Unfortunately,” a friend of the family said, “Gracie was in the room where the fire started and they weren’t able to rescue her.”

Friends say it will take months and thousands of dollars for the family to rebuild their home and their lives and recover from the catastrophic loss.

They described the Paris family as generous and giving. “It’s time for them to be on the receiving end,” friends said in appealing for help on their behalf.

Donations can be made through the account set up on the “Gofundme” website, which can be accessed at www.gofund
me.com/e74ums. About $12,500 had been raised as of Friday afternoon.

The three-alarm blaze, which also killed an adult dog and a cat, was reported around 2 a.m. Monday morning. Officials said the puppy’s barking awoke Kim Paris, who discovered the fire and started waking up the others.

Dan Masse, 19, alerted his stepfather, Mark Paris, and younger brother Sam Paris, 11, who escaped the home and called 911, Fire Chief David Leel said.

Leel, who was the first to arrive, said the back side of the house was already fully involved with fire.

He said an electrical issue may have caused the fire, which started on the rear porch.