Allen Douglas photos/KTW
It was a present with unintended consequences.
A Westsyde mom is out of a home after the candles her two children gave her for Mother’s Day led to their trailer burning on Sunday afternoon.
Assistant Fire Chief Dave McMahon said Kamloops Fire Rescue (KFR) firefighters were called to the Klassen family’s home in the Warren’s Mobile Home Park on Westsyde Road at about 1 p.m.
While crews put out the fire quickly and were able to keep it from spreading to surrounding buildings, the trailer itself was unsalvageable and will have to be torn down.
“Unfortunately, the very nature of the construction of a mobile home — usually unless you’re there right at the point of ignition, they’re pretty much lost,” McMahon said.
While KFR will investigate the fire to rule out other causes, as is routine, McMahon said mom Nancy Klassen told him she had lit one of the candles she was given for Mother’s Day and left it unattended.
“When she re-entered the room, the drapes were on fire and the fire spread too rapidly for her to do anything about it,” he said. “So, she got the children out, which is the most important thing, but, unfortunately, she lost her home.”
McMahon said Emergency Social Services, a volunteer group that works with the City of Kamloops, was called in as soon as it was clear the mobile home could not be saved.
The group works with residents on insurance matters, helps set up temporary accommodation and provides emotional support.
Lynn Yakes, a friend of the family, has started a fundraiser to collect money for the Klassens.
“I think they’re still in a bit of shock. Chris, the son, left with no shoes — they got nothing out of it, they just got out with themselves,” she said.
Yakes said the family, which includes Caitlyn, 8, and Chris, 12, is staying in a hotel as they figure out what to do next.
“When something like that happens and you have absolutely nothing the world doesn’t stop and wait for you to get organized,” she said.
“Your kids still have to go to school, you have to wake up, you have to brush your teeth. So, that’s I was trying to raise a little bit of money for them to get everything going.”
Yakes is taking donations at gofundme.com/klassenfire.
McMahon said KFR wants to remind the public that candles can be dangerous.
“If you’re going to enjoy candles, be in the room with them. Don’t leave candles unattended, certainly not near any flammable materials, because it gets out of control very, very fast,” he said.
“I think she did have an extinguisher, but it was still too much for her to be able to deal with.”
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