‘I was stressed and scared’: Port Colborne family displaced after house fire

A Port Colborne family was displaced after a fire inside their home on Monday, but they are thankful no one was hurt.

The quick actions of a mother saved the family pets, and the community has been overwhelming in helping the children get back to the things they love most.

Overcome with emotion, Kimberly Boissoneault and her children, Zac and Aubree, visited the home for the first time since it caught fire this week.

“It was complete shock and just pure loss,” Boissoneault said.

While the home may appear to be in good shape from the outside, there is significant damage on the inside. Boissoneault and her husband were not home when the fire started on Monday afternoon; they were picking the children up from school.

The family’s neighbour, whose home is attached to theirs, described smelling smoke from inside. When she went out, she saw it coming from one of the windows. She said that is when the family arrived, and Boissoneault sprang into action.

“I seen the smoke coming out of the kitchen window, and I ran up because our dog, and the kids’ two guinea pigs were still in the house, so I ran to go get them,” Boissoneault said. “As much as, yeah, we’re supposed to avoid going into a burning building, I had to get our pets, they’re family.”

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Boissoneault had to be checked for smoke inhalation, but both she and the pets were all okay.

“I was stressed and scared that it was gonna get lost in the fire,” one of the children said.

Port Colborne Fire Chief Stan Double says the fire started in the kitchen accidentally, after a wood cutting board was ignited by a stove burner. The fire was contained to the kitchen, but there was heavy smoke throughout the home. Damage is estimated to be between $50,000 and $100,000.

Boissoneault says the worst part is losing her children’s toys and equipment they need to do what they love.

“He plays ice hockey here with Port minor hockey, and she is on her fifth competitive season with Cheer United in Welland,” Boissoneault said. “All of his ice hockey equipment, his sticks, everything are gone.”

Boissoneault says the support from her community has been overwhelming, with family, friends and people from both organizations her children are a part of donating clothes, food and more.

“This has been honestly overwhelming for all of us,” Boissoneault said.

A GoFundMe has been started for the family with the goal of helping them rebuild what they have lost. But Boissoneault says no matter what, she is thankful her whole family is still by her side.

“We’re all home and we’re all healthy, and everything else can be replaced.”

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