Sheriff's fund established to benefit deputy who lost 2 sons in Schwenksville fire

The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office has set up a fund to help the family of the deputy sheriff who lost his home and two sons in a fire, the office announced Friday.

Deputy Sheriff Bryan Lukens' sons, Bryan Jr., 11, and Parker, 6, died in the Wednesday morning blaze at the family's Schwenksville home.

All of the proceeds will directly benefit the family, the office said. Checks can be made payable to the "Lukens Family Fund" and mailed to: Lukens Family Fund, c/o Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, Box 311, Norristown, PA 19404.

All TD Bank branches will also accept cash or check donations for the Lukens Family Fund, the Sheriff's Office said.

The Pennsylvania State Police on Thursday said that a faulty extension cord was to blame for the early-morning blaze. The cord was plugged into a space heater in a porch area of the family's home on the 900 block of Summit Avenue.

The two boys were found dead on the second floor of the home after the fire was extinguished. Lukens was treated at the burn unit at Lehigh Valley Hospital and released late Wednesday and his wife, Tracy, and their 9-year-old daughter, Soffia, were taken to Pottstown Hospital and released earlier that day, the Sheriff's Office has said.

Separately, a GoFundMe page, which has raised more than $270,000 as of Friday afternoon, was also established to benefit the family.