A group of friends and family are turning to the community for help after a family member lost everything in an apartment fire in Brownsville.

Belinda Perez and her two boys are staying in a hotel after their Boca Palma Townhome apartment unit caught on fire Wednesday.

Perez says Brownsville firefighters told her a malfunctioning outlet behind her son’s bed was the cause of the fire.

“When I opened the kids room, the fire was in the window and in the curtains,” Perez said. “From there, the only thing I could think is to get out my kids.”

Perez recalls grabbing her children and running out the door to keep them safe. Her sons lost everything in the fire: toys, clothes and even school supplies.

“Clothes is the main part right now,” Perez said. “For school, I only have one uniform, everything is gone.”

The apartment owners are in the process of preparing a new apartment unit for Belinda, but in the meantime, her friends and family are fundraising and accepting donations to help her and her family re-build again.

If you'd like to help Belinda, click here.