Where are all the donations to Cambridge fire victims going?

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — More than $500,000 has been donated to help the victims of a massive fire in Cambridge.

About 160 people have been displaced by the fire, which damaged 11 buildings in the East Cambridge neighborhood Saturday night. The 10 alarm fire burned for hours, and even as the fire burned, donations rolled in.

Right now, the Mayor’s Fire Relief Fund has received half a million dollars, and City Manager Louis Depasquale said private and corporate donations could put the fund at the $1 million mark within days.

Of that money, each family can only receive $2,400 from the donation pool or $600 per adult. If you do the math and all the families get the maximum, that leaves more than $145,000 in the fund.

“Every penny that is in that fund will go back to the victims of this fire. I can assure you. But we want to make sure we do it in a way that's managed properly,” said Depasquale.

Mayor Denise Simmons says the reimbursement cap is for phase one of the relief effort and city leaders are working on a strategic plan for what they say with be a multi-phase plan.

"We're here for the long haul. This is the immediate need,” said Simmons.

She said they will receive additional assistance beyond the first cash payout.

There are two funds for victims, the other one is through the Red Cross.

Cox Media Group