Danny Smith and his son, John, were able to escape the fire that consumed the elder Smith’s home on North River Road early Tuesday morning, but were unable to save the majority of their belongings, ranging from an estimated $40,000 in electrical parts to irreplaceable home movies and photos.

“I lost all my tools and my parts house,” said Smith. His parts house was in his basement and had a large amount of electrical and plumbing parts he’d amassed during his decades as an electrician, a job he had to give up in 2004 when a fall from a 40-foot ladder disabled him.

It took firefighters a half an hour to reach the home, due in part to Smith’s son’s giving the wrong address to the 911 dispatcher. It wasn’t until 10 minutes later responders were given the correct address and had to turn around and go to North River Road to the south. By the time firefighters arrived the home was engulfed in flames. The following morning, crews were putting out hot spots and the house was a complete loss.

“I think of the irreplaceable things, pictures and films of family, friends,” said Smith. He said he had a large collection of VHS tapes from family films dating back decades.

On a fixed income and unable to work, “I had to cut a lot of expenses out,” he said. One of those expenses was home insurance. He also lost a large gun collection, 50 or more, including several of his father’s guns. “I can never replace those,” he said.

The cause of the fire was a cigarette Smith’s son thought he had extinguished, according to Smith.

To help Smith, who has been staying with friends and neighbors, a neighbor has set up a GoFundMe page, gofundme.com/lets-help-danny-smith.