A VOLUNTEER SORTS and folds clothing items at The Maxx Entertainment Center in Iron Mountain that were donated for the former tenants of 630 E. H St. who were displaced by a massive fire late Friday that left one woman dead. (Betsy Bloom/Daily News photo)

IRON MOUNTAIN — A number of efforts have been launched to aid tenants displaced by an apartment building fire late Friday that left one woman dead.

Appeals for the former residents of the building at 630 E. H St. include a Facebook page, “Iron Mountain Fire Victims May 17, 2024,” where specific needs are being posted daily, plus an account at IncredibleBank in Iron Mountain and several online GoFundMe efforts.

The response has been “great,” organizers said.

“This is a community thing that everybody’s coming together to do,” said Carmen Thomma-Frank, who along with Ashley Bernard and others are administrators for the Facebook page.

A portion of The Maxx Entertainment Center, 2202 Aragon St. in Iron Mountain, is now filled with donated items such as non-perishable food, some appliances, personal care products, even some toys. A local dental office sent an entire box of tooth care supplies.

And people have brought in clothing — lots and lots of clothing.

Volunteers have been working daily to sort through the bags and boxes, while organizers have asked that no more clothes be contributed for now.

The biggest needs now are monetary donations, gift cards for area grocery stores or businesses that might have supplies for restocking a home, said Dave Fraser, owner of Maxx Entertainment. Gift cards for places that have pharmacies, such as Walmart, would help with meeting prescription costs.

Most of the former apartment building tenants are staying with family until new housing can be found, Fraser said. So those other households are affected by the expense of needing more supplies, he noted.

Even packs of toilet paper, paper towels and other household staples would help, he said.

Monetary donations also can assist with the other most pressing need — securing new housing for the displaced tenants, Fraser said, adding that anyone with an apartment or house to rent can contact him at 906-828-7011.

Friends of Lake Antoine Park have offered two campsites if someone can supply a camper as temporary living space, Fraser said.

He’s still working on setting up a benefit event, but that won’t be possible this weekend, as he’s hosting the Veterans Tribute Ride after-party Saturday. He’s aiming for the first or second weekend in June.

Any musical act that would be willing to play a set for transportation costs or at a reduced rate for the benefit would be much appreciated, Fraser said. Contact him at 906-221-2111.

Once they have a firm date, they’ll send out appeals for raffle items and other potential fundraisers, he said. All proceeds from the event will be equally divided among the tenants, Fraser said.

They’ll also provide more details on furniture and appliance needs, Fraser said. Whatever is contributed will be stored at the former Ball & Christy building where Fraser once had his business, after the landlord agreed to house larger items for the fire victims. Slumberland Furniture already has donated six twin-size mattresses and boxsprings.

The day of the benefit, they’ll have trucks and trailers ready to move the items to sites, Fraser said.

As to the piles and piles of clothing at Maxx Entertainment, Fraser said they regularly have a flea market the first Sunday of the month, so anything left after the tenants have made their choices will be sold — probably $5 to fill a grocery bag — with again all proceeds going to the tenants.

After that, the rest can go to Caring House, Denim Heart and St. Vincent de Paul, he said.

“Nothing will go to waste,” he said.