WINNIPEG — Tragedy struck a St. Andrews family again when Tony and Ana Herntier’s home was destroyed by fire Monday morning.
WATCH: Fire crews battle blaze at St. Andrews
A year ago, the grandparents suffered a greater tragedy when their seven-year-old granddaughter Gracie Herntier-Clark was mauled to death by two dogs. She was with her other grandparents at a friend’s house.
READ MORE: Manitoba girl mauled to death by dogs
Tony Herntier, a Winnipeg police officer, was working when the fire broke out but rushed home at around 1 a.m. when he heard his house was on fire.
By that time, his wife Ana had already jumped 3.5 metres from the roof of the sunroom; her friend jumped into the arms of the St. Andrews south fire hall Chief Ken Peacock and neighbour Preston Grocholski, 20.
“My son heard pops then saw flames coming from the home,” said Wayne Grocholski, Preston’s dad. “He said, ‘Come Dad, we gotta go.’ ”
When they ran across the street, Peacock, who lives nearby, was already there, Wayne Grocholski said. Fire crews hadn’t arrived yet.
“Ken asked us to go see if there was anyone in the house, so we went around the back and Ana had already jumped,” said Wayne. “I stayed with her while Ken and my son caught the other lady. She sprained her ankle, but that’s it.”
READ MORE: Women jump from roof to escape fire in St. Andrews, Manitoba
Both women were taken to hospital with minor injures, RCMP said.
“They were just devastated over the little girl and now this,” said neighbour Loni Gogol, still shaken by the family’s grief.
Before Gracie died, she held a garage sale and raised money for her school’s dance program.
Tony and Ana were planning the third annual garage sale in Gracie’s name on May 30th, but all of the community donations were destroyed in the fire.
Now a family friend hopes people will help the Herntier’s get back on their feet by donating to a gofundme account set up to help the family.
“Now they’ve lost everything,” said Gogol.
The most precious things were memories of Gracie, her toys, her clothes, even her play structure, all destroyed by the fire.
The family has already been offered a place to stay.
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