After a woman and her godson escaped a fire last week that burned her cabin to the ground, many Haines residents are helping to get her back on her feet.

Lorraine Shuder, also known as “Porcupine Anney,” has lived in the Porcupine area more than 20 miles north of town for 23 years.

The fired started after her godson, Ben Cherry, mistook two different fuel jugs, Shuder said. He poured unleaded fuel into their woodstove to stoke the fire at around 7 a.m. last Thursday morning.

“When he threw it in there it went up the spout into the jug and the whole room caught fire immediately,” Shuder said.

She said flames consumed the 12 foot by 16 foot cabin in minutes.

“It was so fast,” Shuder said. “I ran out of the house with nothing on but pants and a shirt in my hands. I ran out and there was smoke coming out of everywhere. You could see from the side of the building the flames coming out. It was engulfed. (The cabin’s) been up awhile. It was well cured.”

Shuder also lost one of her dogs in the fire.

“Her name was Lilly,” Shuder said. “I called her Lilly Puddin.’ She was a good dog.”

Shuder said she’s been overwhelmed by the generosity of residents who have donated clothes, kitchen supplies, bedding and other items to help her replace a lifetime of possessions.

“Everybody’s been generous and I want to thank everybody,” Shuder said. “I didn’t have underwear, socks, coat, an ID, pictures; a lifetime of stuff. Everybody has been real nice.”

Shuder has slept in her barn, which was spared from the fire, and at the home of longtime friend Marilyn Morris.

Morris has helped in the efforts to get Shuder back on her feet. Morris and her daughter, Mariah Morris, sought assistance through social media and various organizations including the Salvation Army.

“They gave her 20 coupons to get necessities and food at Howsers and we came in the next day to get clothes,” Marilyn Morris said.

She said people have been donating items to Shuder every day.

“They’ve just been pouring out their soul and heart,” Marilyn Morris said. “Everybody who is down and out gets help from the people here in Haines.”

Shuder’s never had so many clothes in her life, she said. “I even got biker boots which I really like,” Shuder said. “Somebody’s going to have to give me a ride now.”

Shuder is currently looking for housing. She plans to rebuild on her property as soon as possible and doesn’t want to live anywhere else.

Her godson has been living with and helping her because her vision is poor. She can see shapes and color but her world is a blur.

“I love it out there but being blind it makes it a real challenge to do certain things,” Shuder said. “I don’t know. I’m going day to day.”

Her husband, who milled the logs for the cabin they shared for more than a decade before he passed, named the mountain behind the property “Mount Lorraine” after her.

Anyone interested in donating to Shuder should call Marilyn Morris at 766-3234.

A bank account has also been opened in her name at First National Bank.