McClusky community harvests corn for family affected by deadly fire

After a devastating fire in McClusky, the community is rallying behind the victims who lost everything.

Farmers are working to clear fields near town, but it's not their own crop they're combining.

"People want to help. The immediate need they saw was harvesting this corn,” said Tim Erdmann, relative of the victims.

Several weeks ago, Erdmann lost his grandnephew in a house fire. The child's parents and sister suffered severe burns as well.

"Well, I know it affected everybody in the community when something like that happens,” said Erdmann.

The entire community has come together to get the corn out of this field. Bringing 20 semis, about seven combines, and more than 30 people to help the family that has been affected by this tragedy.

"That's one thing about our community, it's really good when an awful thing like this would happen that we just get together and do whatever we can,” said Dennis Bertsch, volunteer.

Workers are helping to harvest 900 acres of corn in two days.

"It's overwhelming. Everybody wants to help and this is how they can help," said Erdmann.

The grain elevator is also chipping in. Family members say workers have cleared out a wet grain bin so they have a place to store the harvest.

Family members say the mother and daughter are out of the hospital, while father is stable, but has a long road to recovery.