Tens of thousands of dollars are flowing in to help residents displaced by a devastating apartment fire in Burnaby Tuesday.
Fire struck the Cameray Gardens apartment complex on Jersey Avenue north of Central Park just before 12:30 a.m.
All 47 units at 5715 Jersey Ave. had to be evacuated, and the Burnaby Fire Department told media at least 100 residents were displaced as firefighters battled for six hours to get the stubborn blaze under control.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the City of Burnaby said 68 residents from 20 units had sought help from emergency support services and were being connected with resources and lodging.
Multiple GoFundMe campaigns have also been launched to help individual families.
The Borja family, mom Angela, dad Edgar and kids Isabella and Martin, moved from Colombia to Canada two years ago to start a new and better life, according to information posted online for one campaign.
"Angela and her family were able to make it out safely, but they were not able to take any of their belongings; there wasn't time to even put on shoes, as the fire started right beside their unit," states the write-up. "Her husband Edgar risked his life crawling below the smoke to notify as many neighbours as they could to get out of the building."
Manuel and Eva are also newcomers to Canada, according to another GoFundMe campaign.
They had just enough time to grab their two young boys, their dog Maggie and Eva's purse before fleeing the burning building in their pyjamas, the campaign states.
"Once morning arrived after no rest they then discovered their home was destroyed with nothing left behind."
The family didn't have insurance on their rental apartment and don't qualify of most supports through government resources because they are still in the process of securing permanent resident status in Canada, according to the campaign.
Luana Amoedo is currently staying at a shelter with her two young children and had nowhere else to go when that support runs out, according to a third GoFundMe campaign.
"She lost all her hard-earned possessions," states the campaign.
The fire is being investigated as arson, according to Burnaby RCMP.
Follow Cornelia Naylor on X/Twitter @CorNaylor
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