A Coquitlam family is starting over after a fire destroyed their home, belongings and vehicles.
Steven Swelander started a GoFundMe page after his family’s home in the 1500 block of Coast Meridian Road went up in flames Monday afternoon.
“We are currently in need of money since we lost not only the house but our trailer and four cars and now have to start at square one,” Swelander stated on the GoFundMe page.
So far, nearly $8,000 of a $20,000 goal has been pledged.
The family is also looking for storage space and household items, according to the statement on the website.
A spokesperson for GoFundMe said the fundraiser is verified.
Meanwhile, Coquitlam firefighters are unable to determine the cause of the blaze, except to say that it is not suspicious.
Coquitlam Fire and Rescue Chief Jim Ogloff said the burned building is too unstable for firefighters to go in and do an investigation.
Ogloff confirmed that victim services support was provided to six people who were living in the home to ensure they had a place to stay.
“There’s not a whole lot left” of the the building and contents, Chief Ogloff told The Tri-City News.
Approximately 20 firefighters were called to the scene at 12:30 p.m. Monday, and worked for several hours to put out the blaze.
Neither the nearby forest nor other homes were impacted as the house is on a large lot, he said.
The Tri-City News has reached out to the family but has yet to hear back.
