Tracy said no one was at home at the time of the fire, and no one was injured.
Teresa Barrick, the water clerk for the Gore Public Works Authority, said residents of the area are rushing to aid of the family who lost their home, belongings and Christmas presents in the fire.
Barrick said Jeff and Jamie Triplett have five children, Kimberli, 13; Courtni, 10; Zachary, 7; Joshua, 3; and Halle, 18 months.
Jeff Triplett is a plumber and Jamie Triplett is a fourth grade teacher at Hilldale Elementary School in Muskogee. She said that she had bought all the Christmas presents for her family, had them wrapped and hidden in a closet before the fire destroyed their home.
The family is staying with friends and other family members at the present time and the three older children, from previous marriages, are staying with their parents.
Barrick said she and Webbers Falls Mayor Jewell Horne are coordinating the aid efforts on behalf of the Triplett family.
"Somebody walked into our office today," Barrick said, "and just handed me $100 for the family. I think we are going to set up an account for them at Armstrong Bank here in Gore."
People are donating everything from clothing, blankets and new Christmas toys for the children.
Barrick and Horne has been taking donations at their respective city halls, but both city halls are closed Friday through Monday, for a four-day Christmas holiday.
Horne said, "If anyone wishes to make a donation they may bring it to the Webbers Falls or Gore city hall on Tuesday."
She added that a storage place has been obtained to store larger items.
"We just want to thank everyone for helping," Horne said.
Tracy said, "We got the fire call at about 10:30 a.m. and when we got there the home was fully involved. The fire was 10 feet over the crown of the roof."
Firefighters from the Webbers Falls and Blackgum Fire Departments were called in to help, Tracy said. "We had 20 men at the scene and 11 trucks," he said. "We were shoveling water on the fire as fast as we could."
Tracy said that one of the Blackgum firefighters was overcome by fatigue and attended to at the scene by fellow firemen.
"I don't have his name," Tracy said, "but he did one heck of a job. He deserves a tip of the hat."
Tracy said the home was a two-story log home on Ranch Road, off Ridge and Moonshine Roads. Tracy estimated the loss at between $80,000 and $100,000.
The family, Tracy added, did have insurance on the home.
Tracy said he suspected the fire was electrical or started by a wood stove. "There wasn't much left," he said. "The fire gutted the home pretty bad."
Firefighters were on the scene from 10:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., Tracy said.
Tracy said, "We thank the Webbers Falls and Blackgum firefighters for helping us."
