GoFundMe launched after East London, Ontario. fire leaves a family of 5 with nothing – London | The Canadian News

The sister of a London, Ontario woman whose family lost everything when a fire ripped through their East London home on New Years Day launched a GoFundMe campaign to help the family try to rebuild their lives from scratch.

Tiffany Loyer launched the campaign days after her sister, Ashley McElmon, narrowly escaped her burning house in Toulon Crescent on Saturday morning along with her partner, Ken Major, and their three children, Benjamin and Colton, both from four, and Kiyla, 12.

Fire crews responded to the scene at 127 Toulon Cres. shortly before 11 am and I found the house completely wrapped up. While firefighters have not made public the cause of the fire, Loyer says the fire started on the main floor of the home.

Loyer says Ashley was in the second floor bathroom when she heard screaming coming from downstairs. Chrissy McElmon, Tiffany and Ashley’s other sister, had stayed with the family of five.

“(Ashley) came out of the bathroom and her face was instantly full of smoke. He went downstairs and by that time the couch had caught fire, so he started yelling for everyone to get out because the smoke alarm wouldn’t go off, ”Loyer said.

“Chrissy and the children who were in the living room where the fire started came out the back door of the house. Ken was upstairs still sleeping. He woke up, went downstairs and was able to get out ”.

Loyer said that Ashley also managed to get out of the house, but realized that her daughter Kiyla was still inside. After running back inside, they both managed to get out in time.

Firefighters who arrived on the scene found the six outside the house uninjured, said Colin Shewell, platoon leader for the London Fire Department.

“The crews were able to enter for fire control. Because of the size of the fire and the smoke, we had to go back and do a defensive attack, which basically hit the fire from the outside so that none of the firefighters were injured, “Shewell said. .

“Basically we had the fire under control in about half an hour from the moment we arrived.”

The department’s fire inspector attended the scene that day, and the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office was contacted to assist in the investigation. Shewell said he anticipated investigative work at the site was expected to conclude Tuesday.

The damage to the home was extensive, Shewell said, with a damage estimate of about $ 400,000, not including the contents of the unit. Some neighboring units suffered minor smoke damage.

“The cause is still under investigation and it could be weeks or months before we can find the origin or cause of the fire.”

Since the fire, which left them with nothing but the clothes they were wearing, the family has stayed at the DoubleTree by Hilton in downtown, with their stay covered until January 5 by the Red Cross.

The plan, Loyer said, is to use the funds raised through GoFundMe to help cover the hotel stay until affordable rent can be found, an easier said than done in the London property market.

“As of now, they have nowhere to go for the foreseeable future until we can secure a residency for them,” he said.

Moving to insurance is also not a viable option, Loyer said, as Ashley and Ken “were between different policies.”

“Your greatest needs will be… until a rent is secured (are) hotel costs… and food, food gift cards. The hotel does not have a microwave, so it is a lot to have to ask for food or have people leave prepared food for them, ”he said.

“They are a working family. They are the type of family that never asks for anything; they are always giving to other people. “

You can find more information in the GoFundMe campaign page.

– with files from Sawyer Bogdan