A GoFundMe campaign is running to help a Barrie family victimized by a recent house fire.
The blaze displaced a family of five from their Blake Street home on the night of Tuesday, Sept. 3.
Kelsey Stewart, Cory Birch and their children — 11-year-old Zoey, nine-year-old Owyn and five-year-old Nate — have been living in a hotel since then.
“It’s horrible, awful. I just want to be able to make dinner for my family,” said Stewart, a city florist and owner of Flowers and Birch. “I haven’t been able to do that for two weeks. Laundry is difficult, making kids lunches on a hotel bed is next to impossible.
“I don’t think it’s really set in that we’ve basically lost it all,” she added.
The family dog made it out that night and three of the four cats, thanks to firefighters and paramedics.
That they are insured and renters has not softened the blow.
“Some of our sentimental stuff in storage, my Christmas decorations, I saved,” Stewart told BarrieToday. “But we lost everything on the main floor, kids bedrooms, furniture, and then in the basement we lost maybe 50 to 60 per cent of that stuff, to water damage from fire suppression.”
Barrie firefighters were called to the duplex that night by a passerby who saw smoke and called for help, then opened a door to let the dog out.
“The fire did some extensive damage to the kitchen area and then obviously you have smoke and heat damage in other areas of the home,” said Assistant Deputy Fire Chief Eric MacFadden.
The family of five was not home at the time of the fire, but arrived to see Barrie Fire and Emergency Service on scene.
There is no damage estimate or cause of the fire.
The home is located close to Parkview Community Centre, north of Kempenfelt Drive.
Stewart said they plan on using the GoFundMe money for their next first and last month’s rent, and to replace some of the children’s clothes lost in the fire.
They’ve been living in a hotel for the last two weeks, but will relocate to the condo of a friend travelling abroad for a few weeks, before going back to a hotel and hopefully renting Nov. 1.
GoFundMe campaign organizer Danielle Maes, a family friend, said the money could go a long way.
“It is so important to me to ensure that she (Stewart) has enough money to have first/last for a roof over her children's and pets’ heads, and the bare necessities to rebuild an entire life for all involved,” she said.
The campaign, with a goal of $8,000, had raised $2,600 by Monday evening.
For more information or to donate, click here.
