He was just a goodhearted man.”

Donald Koch, neighbor of the late Richard Kanauss

What's being done to help

While members of the Common Fence Point community are still brainstorming ways to help the victims of the Feb. 7 fire, here’s what they’re doing so far in terms of both tangible assistance and emotional healing.

Cabaret on Friday

“Down with Love: A Cabaret,” will be held at 8 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 16 at the Common Fence Point Community Hall, 933 Anthony Road.

The show stars Jeff Blanchette and Rachel Hanauer, with Cody Mead on piano.

“Originally, we intended to raise money for the arts program at Common Fence Point, but in light of recent events we have decided to donate our proceeds to the victims and families of the fires that occurred last week,” said Mr. Blanchette.

Tickets cost $18 online (https://m.bpt.me/event/3223822) or $20 at the door. They’re discounted for students ($15) and children 12 and under ($10).

“We'd like to encourage people to purchase a ticket online as this will guarantee them a seat at a table,” he said. “It's a BYOB and bring-your-own-food event, and we're raffling off a gift basket as well. Also, if people are unable to make it, but would still like to make a donation, we are encouraging people to buy tickets anyway.”

Lap of Love

The public is invited to a “Lap of Love” in support of the fire victims starting in front of the community hall at 1 p.m. this Sunday, Feb. 18

A similar event was held in 2014 after current CFPIA Vice President Aimee Sweeney and her family escaped from a fire that destroyed Summit Road home.

“We'll walk the CFP Halloween “parade route” and then reconvene at the hall for refreshments and fellowship,” said CFPIA President Conley Zani.

Donations accepted

Donations of cash and gift cards for the victims can be dropped off at the CFPIA Community Hall, which is usually open during the day for various activities.

Checks can also be made out to CFPIA and mailed to 933 Anthony Road, Portsmouth, RI 02871-5605.

Other proceeds redirected

A week’s worth of proceeds from Zumba classes at the CFPIA Community Hall are being donated to victims of the fire.

In addition, artist Jackie Johnson agreed to donate the proceeds of sales from her art show held at the community hall on Sunday.

Donations were also collected at Saturday night’s Mardi Gras party at the hall.

Flowers in Rick’s memory

Members of the public are invited to lay flowers by the sign near the entrance of the neighborhood in memory of Richard “Rick” Kanauss, who perished in the fire.

Ms. Zani said the Common Fence Point community is resilient, and will weather this storm as it has others in the past.

“People are very emotional,” she said. “However, I think there is a sense that our community is strong and tight in a unique way and people are looking to help and support the victims in any way they can.”

PORTSMOUTH — “I called him the neighborhood pal,” Dianne Koch said of Richard S. Kanauss, who lived across the street from her on Narragansett Boulevard in Common Fence Point for about 30 years.

Mr. Kanauss, 76, perished in the fast-moving fire that destroyed three homes overlooking the Sakonnet River during the early morning hours of Feb. 7.

Ms. Koch and her husband, Donald, who helplessly watched the horror unfold from their front yard, were among more than 50 neighbors who turned out for a meeting at the Common Fence Point Improvement Association (CFPIA) Community Hall on Sunday to brainstorm ways to help the fire victims.

The Koches recalled Mr. Kanauss, who lived alone in the rented single-story home, as a simple and kind soul who was always there for his neighbors.

“He was just a goodhearted man,” said Mr. Koch. “We met him 30 years ago when we moved in; he had moved in about the same time in the little house across the street. He was a single man who had a girlfriend at the time. They went to ballroom dancing and they were just the funniest, most lovely couple.”

Mr. Kanauss later entered into a “long-term relationship with a woman named Kelly,” he said. Unfortunately, Kelly died in the home a few years ago. 

“He found her,” Mr. Koch said. (Kelly’s dog, Precious — “a little white fluffy dog,” Mr. Koch said — also died in last week’s fire.)

After Kelly passed, Mr. Kanauss went through “a very difficult time,” Mr. Koch said. “His daughter would come down and keep an eye on him and we kind of increased contact with him.”

Eventually, though, Mr. Kanauss got through it, he said.

“He had a pretty good spirit; there was nothing troubling him and he was in a good place. He loved living where he lived because it was right on the water. He loved the sea; he dreamed of the sea,” he said.

Ms. Koch remembers Mr. Kanauss as someone who did kind deeds for his neighbors. “He mowed lawns for everybody. He’d go down the street with his lawnmower,” she said.

“He was loved by so many. He was an integral part of this community,” added Aimee Sweeney, CFPIA’s vice president.

Neighborhood supports victims

Common Fence Point residents quickly mobilized efforts to support victims of the fire and and the community hall was the site of a brainstorming gathering on Sunday afternoon. 

Leading the efforts was Ms. Sweeney, whose Summit Road house was destroyed by fire in 2014. Ms. Sweeney and her family rebuilt the home after the community rallied behind them with donations and emotional support — including a “Lap of Love” that will be replicated at 1 p.m. this Sunday, Feb. 18, starting in front of the community hall.

“Given what the community did for us and the love and support they showed us — they helped us pull up our boots — it only made sense for me to give back,” Ms. Sweeney said. Sunday’s “Lap of Love” is intended to be a “giant community hug for these people who are going through so much," she added.

The hall is accepting donations of cash and gift cards for the victims, and the proceeds from several special events and activities have been redirected to those who need help. (See related story.)

‘It was terrifying’

Three people in one of the other homes managed to escape without injury. Two of them — Nathan Oliveira and Victoria LaTronica — were at Sunday’s meeting.

“It was terrifying,” Ms. LaTronica said.

The couple also had a male roommate, who woke them up and was the first person to call 911. Mr. Kanauss’ residence, the middle home where the fire is believed to have started — was fully engulfed when they awoke, the couple said.

“We have a bay window out the back — one window and two windows on an angle — and it was black and red when we woke up. It was very strange to see that,” said Mr. Oliveira. The couple also lost two cats in the fire — Tyrande and Sylvanas.

Fortunately, they now have a roof over their heads and are living in a Bristol home they had previously rented. “It just happened to be empty, but was fully furnished,” said Mr. Oliveira.

“We’ve been fortunate that the landlord from whom we rented the house that burned down is fantastic,” added Ms. LaTronica. “He’s been wonderful, and the previous landlord we had in Bristol has been wonderful as well. I think we’ve been very lucky; this could have happened to someone else who was not as fortunate as us.”

As for immediate needs, they were hard-pressed to think of any, since their family had already provided them with essentials such as socks and underwear. “To be honest, we are so good right now,” Mr. Oliveira said.

The owners of the other house destroyed, Jim and Kathi Barry, were in Florida at the time of the fire. They returned to Rhode Island and planned to stay in a hotel until they sorted things out, Mr. Koch said. “They don’t have an immediate need for housing,” he said.

Emotional support important, too

One of the neighbors said besides tangible needs such as housing and new furniture and clothes, emotional support is important to fire victims as well. She and her husband lost their home in a fire in another part of Portsmouth in 2013, she said.

“It’s a very slow and long process,” she said on assessing one’s needs after losing so much in a fire. However, she said, some things are more precious than others.

“We had just gotten married before the fire. People giving us wedding photos that we no longer had was huge for us,” said the woman, who declined to give her name for publication.

Mr. Kanauss left two daughters and a sister, according to Mr. Koch. 

“They need a good night’s sleep,” said Mr. Koch, adding the family would be overwhelmed by the outpouring of support shown at Sunday’s meeting. “They would be so touched by the people in this room — the fact that you’re all talking about them.”

At the tail end of the meeting, Mr. Koch called over to Ms. LaTronica and Mr. Oliveira, who were sitting on the opposite side of the room. 

“I’m so glad you got out OK. I lived across from you and I’d wave to you, but I don’t even known your names,” Mr. Koch said.

He does now.

Ms. LaTronica said she was grateful for the community’s support.

“Everyone that we’ve come in contact with since this happened has done everything in their power to try to make us feel better or do anything they can do for us,” she said.

Cause fire ‘undetermined’

Fire Chief Michael Cranson confirmed Monday that the Rhode Island State Fire Marshal’s Office was unable to determine a cause of the fire that ripped through three homes in Common Fence Point on Feb. 7.

A body was found in the rubble of one of the homes and was later identified as 76-year-old Richard Kanauss, a 30-year resident of the community.

The fire is believed to have started at Mr. Kanauss’ home, which was in the middle of the three Narragansett Boulevard homes that caught fire during the early morning hours.

The fire spread rapidly to the homes on either side due to winds off the Sakonnet River, Chief Cranson said. All three homes were fully engulfed when firefighters arrived shortly after 2 a.m., and it’s difficult to determine exactly when the fire started, he said.

There was no evidence that the fire was suspicious in nature, he said. Police Chief Thomas Lee said no evidence of arson was found.

The owners of the other house that was destroyed, Jim and Kathi Barry, were in Florida at the time of the fire.

Three occupants of the other home, which was badly damaged and will be torn down, managed to escape unharmed. They have since found transitional housing.