A fire that raged through a Coquitlam home this week has left a single mother and her two children without a home.
On Thursday (June 10) around 5 p.m., Fire Rescue crews responded to a blaze at a residence on 200-block Therrien Street in the Maillardville area of the city that resulted in extensive damage and has left a price tag of about $100,000.
Coquitlam Fire Chief Jim Ogloff told Tri-City News the entire structural integrity was compromised, deeming it unsafe for investigators to enter the two-storey home and determine the cause.
There's been no update on the damage as of this publication (June 12).
The fire has since left Carmel Yu wondering what will happen in the days ahead.
Since the incident took place, and as of this publication, a GoFundMe page has raised nearly $8,000 for her family — listed as the beneficiary — thanks to a friend who took to the crowdfunding campaign in hopes the community would come together.
"Her mother is a single mother who works very hard for her two kids, they are located in an area where houses are very expensive and it will be very hard for them find a new place to live," writes Glydel Dairo, organizer of the fundraiser, who has set a goal of $10,000 to help cover costs.
"They are currently living in a hotel for three nights, but after that they don’t know where they will go. They don’t have any relatives in Canada, or insurance."
Dairo also says the fire started "unexpectedly" and burned everything the Yu family owned.
Though not confirmed by officials, there were reports a dog allegedly died while trapped inside the home.
However, it may be possible the dog simply ran away when the fire took place as doors were left open.
"Until we actually are able to get in and do a proper investigation without the structure being compromised for the safety of our staff, we won't be able to confirm the status of a dog [in the house]," said Chief Ogloff.
He said there were no injuries to residents or fire personnel from the incident.
If you wish to contribute to the campaign, you're encouraged to visit the GoFundMe page.
