BANGOR – When a multi-unit apartment building on Ohio Street caught fire late Monday night, leaving 15 people out in the cold to watch their home go up in flames, volunteers for the Pine Tree Chapter of the American Red Cross helped everyone involved to find housing for the night.

For these volunteers, the past 22 days have been spent providing disaster relief counseling to 29 families across the state whose homes were lost in the same way.

As a result of the fires, there have been 95 victims and three fatalities since the end of February.

“We are averaging one [fire] a day right now,” Suzan Bell, the chapter’s executive director, said Wednesday. “Every day we hope that no else loses their home.”

Volunteer caseworkers for the chapter are able to provide food, clothing, shelter, and mental health services to those in need because of donations made by people in eastern and northern Maine.

The average cost to help a family is between $1,000 and $1,200, depending on whether the family has insurance and a steady income.

“We are helping them to find resources in the community,” Hillary Roberts, emergency services assistant director, said. “We work with the family to make sure they are getting everything that’s available and forming a long-term plan for them.”

Lately, local donations have been down due to the large response from communities for Hurricane Katrina relief efforts this summer, according to the chapter.

“We really need donations in a big way right now,” said Bell.

The Pine Tree Chapter provides services to Penobscot, Hancock, Waldo, Piscataquis, Knox, Aroostook and Washington counties.