A GoFundMe campaign is raising money for the family of Kayla Corrigan, the 21-year-old college student who was killed when her family’s home in Needham burned down on Christmas Eve.
Firefighters responded to the blaze at the six-bedroom, 6,500-square-foot home around 5 a.m. on Wednesday, the State Fire Marshal’s Office said previously. First responders tried to push into the house at 28 Woodworth Road, but were forced to turn back as flames spread quickly through the three-story home.
Two other adults who were inside the home at the time of the fire escaped, the State Fire Marshal’s Office said. Firefighters found Corrigan dead inside the house hours later.
Ultimately, 75 firefighters from 10 different communities responded to the four-alarm fire, the State Fire Marshal’s Office said. Fire investigators determined that the fire was accidental and began in the home’s attached garage.
Money collected through the GoFundMe campaign will go toward Kayla Corrigan’s funeral and memorial expenses, as well as temporary housing and basic necessities for the Corrigans, according to campaign organizer Amy Lund.
“In addition to losing someone we all love dearly, the fire destroyed their home and their belongings, leaving them facing both emotional devastation and sudden financial hardship,” Lund wrote on the campaign page.
Kayla Corrigan graduated from Newton Country Day School in 2022, according to her LinkedIn page. She was on track to graduate from Syracuse University with a degree in marketing management this spring.
“Kayla was a beautiful 21 year old girl who was deeply loved by many. Her absence has left a space that can never be filled,” Lund wrote.
The GoFundMe campaign for the Corrigans had raised nearly $160,000 by Sunday afternoon, exceeding its $150,000 goal.
