EDMONTON – It’s going to be a challenging Christmas for an Alberta family after a fire destroyed their home Thursday morning.
The blaze broke out shortly before 2 a.m. at a farmhouse near the hamlet of Hoadley, between Edmonton and Red Deer.
According to local fire officials, a young family was home when the fire started, but managed to get out safely. The home is a total loss and it’s believed two cats and a dog died in the fire.
Jody Mayan said her daughter Rae-Anne Thompson and her husband Sheldon lived in the house along with their children, Milo and Saige.
“My daughter phoned me at 2 a.m and told me their house was on fire and just wanted me to know so I could unlock the doors because they would be coming here, ” said Mayan. “I felt pretty sick to my stomach all night waiting for them to get here.”
Mayan posted an appeal for help for her daughter’s family on Facebook and said she feels lucky to live in a community where people are so willing to lend a hand to those in need.
“There’s something to be said about small communities; whether it’s fires, deaths or anything,” she said. “They stand behind the people that are in the community. We’ve been overwhelmed with support.”
“In some ways it’s probably one of the hardest Christmases we’ll ever have, but in some ways this is probably going to be one of the best Christmases we ever have because we’re all here and what else can you ask for?”, said Mayan.
Crews were still putting out hot spots several hours after the blaze started.
The fire started in a wood-stove chimney.
-with files from Shallima Maharaj