Support is pouring in for two Lethbridge families who lost their homes to a fire on Tuesday.
The fire started shortly before 2:30 p.m. along Fairmont Boulevard South, destroying two houses and damaging a third.
Donald and Donna Bladen got an alert from their alarm company and said they raced home from work to find their house up in flames.
“When we looked at the house, I mean shock. I don’t even know what I was thinking at that time,” Donald said.
“It was just so much shock and so much chaos and so many people around and so many sirens and emergency vehicles.”
The Bladens have a small dog they usually leave at home, but on Tuesday, they made the last-minute decision to bring Sophie with them to work.
“She was not there. Our neighbours got out. Everybody is safe,” Bladen said.
Donald and Donna are pastors with the Salvation Army.
The house is owned by the organization, but the contents inside belonged to the couple.
Their daughter, who lives in British Columbia, started a GoFundMe page for the couple, who wanted to clarify the funds raised would go towards helping them replace personal items and not directly towards the Salvation Army.
They said they’ve been touched by the support shown by community members and local businesses.
Donald said a lady from Pizza 73 gave them a voucher for free pizza, an employee at Costco covered his prescriptions and a manager at Winners gave the couple a gift card and treats for Sophie.
“It seems small, it seems simple but so incredibly impactful when people are suffering,” Bladen said.
The Frame family of six, who lives next door, also lost everything.
Fire investigator Troy Hicks said a bystander helped the family escape the blaze.
“We had one gentleman that started banging on the door. He actually jumped the fence to make sure the people knew there was a fire,” Hicks said.
“He helped that father and his four kids and the dog all get out of the house.”
Hicks added that the family cat was also saved.
A GoFundMe page has been set up for the Frame family and so has a Facebook page for anyone wanting to donate specific items.
To get the flames under control Tuesday, it took Lethbridge fire crews from four stations and help from Coaldale fire personnel.
Lethbridge fire investigators estimate the loss at $1.5 million.
Hicks said the homes involved had proper insurance.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation but it’s believed to have started in the garage of one of the homes.
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