Photo by erin m.

After a two-alarm fire turned the Quarry House Tavern into a sodden mess unfit for whiskey and tater tot-seeking patrons, the community could have just sat back and waited for the owners to sort out the mess. But that would have meant forgetting about the 17 bartenders and waitstaff who had served them over the years—and who are out of a job for the time being.

After one last-minute event at Jackie’s, which raised nearly $2,500 for staff, a couple of patrons started an Indiegogo campaign to raise additional funds.

They write:

When snow shut down Silver Spring, Quarry House staff would stay in local hotels to be there for us. When the Quarry House started to fill with smoke, it was the staff who evacuated the bar and got everyone to safety. The staff is an integral part of what makes Quarry House a staple in Silver Spring, so join us in giving back to them and donate what you can.

So far, they are up to $12,000 of their $30,000 goal—with 192 people contributing.

The School of Rock Silver Spring is also hosting an all-ages benefit show for the tipped employees of the businesses affected by the fire (which include Bombay Gaylord, where officials believe the blaze started). Local and student bands will play from noon til midnight on Saturday at the show, aptly titled “We Didn’t Start the Fire.

Investigators believe that the fire was electrical in nature and appears to have originated in the ceiling area in the back of the Bombay Gaylord, said Peter Piringer, spokesperson for Montgomery County Fire & Rescue Service.