Young Beaumont family homeless after Christmas Day house fire

A Beaumont, Alta., family is without their home after a fire destroyed it Christmas morning.

The local fire department said it was called to the house at 8:30 a.m. Sunday and three trucks responded, including one from Leduc. Alberta Health Services and RCMP were there as well, a spokesperson for the Beaumont Fire Department said.

Twenty-three members of the fire department left Christmas Day festivities with their own families to help out, the department added.

The whole family was home at the time of the fire but no one was injured, including their two dogs.

The blaze was mostly in the garage and then up the front side of the house, which was destroyed. It took fire crews under 30 minutes to knock down the fire and then they were left to deal with hot spots.

Beaumont mayor Bill Daneluik said the house fire was in the Forest Heights area and involved a single-family dwelling.

“I am very pleased to inform you that nobody was hurt in this unfortunate event,” he wrote in a Facebook post. “It is my understanding that Victim Services are/will be in touch with the family to offer assistance.”

Efforts to support the family have already started, with a gofundme being created by the homeowner’s twin sister Melanie.

She said there was an explosion in the garage and the home was engulfed in flames. She said her sister, two kids, fiancé and their animals made it out alive but the home is not salvageable and they escaped with only the clothes on their backs.

1:45 Fire safety tips for the holiday season

Rupinder Hundal, the realtor who sold the family the home, knows the family well. She is collecting donations of food, household supplies and clothing.

“If people have any winter gear they’re no longer using… or maybe some dishes, or anything, that would help,” Hundal said.

“They both work full time. They built this house of their dreams and it’s so sad it happened on Christmas Day, specifically.”

She said there is a show home right next door where people can drop off donations — at 3808 46 Avenue in Beaumont.