Airdrie family 'overwhelmed' by support following house fire

A family,now homeless from a fire that consumed their Airdrie home on Boxing Day, is overwhelmed by community support, support that began before the fire was fully out.

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Wayne Unrau, his wife and three children lost pretty much everything when a fire devastated the home they rented at406 Coopers Driveon Boxing Day.

But the reaction by the community has blown the family away.

"The firefighters weren't even done fighting the fire and there was already stuff in the neighbour's garage and in our car as far as clothes to wear, as we had nothing to wear besides what we had on," Unrau said Sunday.

"It was, it was overwhelming."

The family is staying with friends they know from their church.

Unrau thinks it was a heater in the garage that started the fire which quickly spread to the second floor.

• Airdrie fire consumes home, occupants safe

He says watching the house burn was heartbreaking.

"It's such a hopeless feeling. Like, you're there to provide a roof over your family's head and you're watching it go up in flames," Unrau explained.

On Sunday Unrau's church prayed for the family, and continued the fundraising which began before the flames were out.

Trevor Peacock is the senior pastor at Harvest Bible Chapel.

"My phone was just ringing off the hook all day yesterday, just people saying 'What can we do? We want to help,'" Peacock said.

Peacock's daughter, 11-year-old Gabriella, is a friend of the Unrau family.

"It just makes you feel so sorry for their family, and you want to help any way that you can," Gabriella said.

Yolanda Walters is a neighbour that didn't know the Unrau family but did know that she wanted to help, so she posted a call for donations online.

And the response was huge.

"It's incredible, it's incredible, it's really heartwarming that people are coming together for this family," Walters said.

People came forward with jackets, clothing, toiletries, food, anything that would help the family who are starting over.

The support, much of it from strangers, has reaffirmed the family's faith.

"I have my family, we've got overwhelming support, those are just material things it hurts you work your whole life but that's not what we work for," Unrau said.

"All the gifts are gone but we still have the gift that sent Jesus to earth we have that gift. Nothing can take it away."