Two boxes holding special memories for two young boys and a pair of hairdressing scissors were all that could be saved after a fire razed a Toolamba West home and business last week.
Karli and Sean Burney’s Easter plans with their five- and three-year-old sons were left in tatters after a fire ripped through their home on Thursday, March 28.
Mrs Burney also had her hairdressing salon at the back of the house, which was also destroyed — with firefighters managing only to save her hairdressing scissors.
No-one was home when the fire broke out.
Mrs Burney had left the house about 1pm to pick her two children up from the end of term at kinder and school and the three of them had gone to celebrate with a raspberry soft drink at the local pub — a tradition they knew as “having a raspberry beer” that had been passed down from Mr Burney’s father to celebrate special occasions.
In the meantime, Mr Burney returned home from work early at 2.50pm to organise building materials for the long weekend so they could continue to renovate their home and make it their dream home.
Mrs Burney said her husband noticed smoke, which he initially thought was dust at the back of the house, but he was instantly struck by the smell of smoke on opening his car door.
“He ran to the garden hose, called 000 and grabbed a nearby ladder to put out the fire,” Mrs Burney said.
Unfortunately for the family, the house quickly lost power, and because they were out of town, their power must work for their pumps to provide water, and very quickly the fire became uncontrollable.
By the time firefighters arrived, the house was fully alight, with the fire not brought under control until 3.25pm.
According to VicEmergency, 12 CFA and Fire Rescue Victoria vehicles were at the scene to fight the blaze.
Mrs Burney said she and her husband wanted to thank the firefighters who did not give up on trying to save their home and for their support and kindness.
She also thanked a neighbour she only knows as Sue, who arrived when Mr Burney was on the roof and offered support to him and took care of their dogs for hours.
She also thanked another person who stopped and caught their boys’ special boxes that were thrown down from the second storey — among the few belongings that could be saved.
Thanks also go from the Mrs Burney to the Toolamba community — “small community, big hearts”.
The most thanks went to their family, who helped immeasurably and tried to make Easter as normal as possible.
The family is currently staying with Mrs Burney’s parents, and Mrs Burney said her husband’s parents were also eager to help and support them.
Easter was hard for the family as they contemplated what had been lost.
“We spent Good Friday and Easter Saturday struggling as memory of things kept popping up that were in the house and now gone,” Mrs Burney said.
Easter Sunday, however, was a family-filled day with their two boys.
Thankfully the family had home and contents insurance on the property.
While it costs them more than $4000 a year, it is something Mrs Burney said they felt was important, even before the house fire.
“It is so important for families to prioritise (having insurance) in times of financial struggle,” she said.
While the family has insurance to replace material things, Mrs Burney’s sister Emma Masterson has also set up a GoFundMe page to help the family get back on their feet and make their house a home again.
As of 5.50pm on Monday, the page had raised almost $17,000 for the family.
The Burneys said they were so thankful to everyone who has donated.
“After so many people continued to reach out to support us and what they could give/do to make this time a little easier we were just so overwhelmed,” she said.
“We originally felt uncomfortable accepting help in the form of money but when support kept coming and people were wanting bank details, we couldn’t gather ourselves to answer or put together what we needed, we decided to give in and take the support people were so incredibly eager to give.
“We are so grateful to have the help for the things that make a house a home when we find somewhere to call home; allow me to take a couple of weeks off work whilst I figure out alternative arrangements for work and pull myself together and spend quality time with my husband and boys who I am so grateful for at this time.
“Thank you for everybody that has and is donating. We will forever be grateful and continue to give back to the community when we are back on our feet.”
To donate to the GoFundMe for the Burney family, visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/burney-family-home