‘We’ve lost everything’: Crowdfunding appeal after York house fire
A house fire destroyed most of a York family’s belongings – and now people are rallying round with donations.
The fire, in a house on Tostig Avenue, broke out about 6.30pm on Thursday (August 17).
Summer Dawson, 18, and her friend of the same age were upstairs in the house at the time but managed to get out.
She told Minster FM:
I went into her bedroom and the bed was full of flames so I got hold of her and we ran out onto the landing.
They had to go to York Hospital for treatment for the effects of inhaling smoke. Summer’s mother Jane was out of the house at the time but returned home to see smoke and flames coming out of the window.
‘Only the clothes on our backs’
Fire crews from Acomb, Huntington and York stations tackled the fire but not before the blaze destroyed a bedroom.
Much of the upstairs was damaged by the smoke, while other parts of the house were affected by water damage.
Summer appealed for spare clothes on her Facebook page, saying: “The fire burnt everything we own so only have the clothes on our backs.”
Already friends and well-wishers have pledged to help. Clothes donations can be dropped off at The Chill Cafe or The Green Tree Pub in Acomb.
Another way to help
Meanwhile Jane’s niece, Shelley Allison, has set up a crowdfunding appeal to help them recover.
The Just Giving page is hoping to raise £500 for the family.
“Yesterday my aunty had a house fire everything has been lost due to either fire, smoke or water damage,” Shelley writes.
“I know I would want to help in any way I could and I’m feeling pretty useless but if people could just donate a couple of pound to help them buy some essentials it would mean so much.”