An online fundraiser through GoFundMe has been launched to support the Abbotsford family who lost their home and a pet in a Canada Day fire.
On Monday afternoon at around 4 p.m., a fire tore through a home on James Street near South Fraser Way sending five people to hospital. Now, a man who says he's a resident's son is calling on the community to support his family who had lived there and lost everything.
"Unfortunately, Canada Day was not a day of celebration for our family," said the GoFundMe campaign's initiator, Joel Love.
"They were left with nothing from this, so they’ll be starting from square one to get everything back together. Unfortunately, they did not have renter’s insurance, so we are reaching out to the public to see if you can help."
The campaign also asks for donations of clothing, food and household items.
At the time, Assistant Chief Craig Leighton with the Abbotsford Fire Department described a scene of “controlled chaos,” with the five injured people from the home on the front lawn as firefighters began an aggressive attack on the three-alarm blaze, fearing someone was inside.
“When we arrive and find reports of someone inside the house that amps everything we’ve got going on up to another level. The crews dealt with it extremely well,” Leighton told CTV News. “It does take it to another level emotionally for the crews.”
The person who was feared missing was not in the home and is OK. Leighton believes a tenant lived in the basement suite along with a family upstairs.
A fire investigator spent Monday evening at the fire scene. Damage to the home is extensive.
The fire department says the fire is not suspicious, and has been deemed as accidental but a cause has not yet been confirmed.
The campaign hopes to raise $3,000 for the family and, by Wednesday morning, had just under $650.
