Burnaby community helps family displaced by fire

Allison Wale, and her three children were displaced from their one-bedroom apartment of 12 years when their neighbour’s unit three doors down caught fire on December 3rd. The family fled with only the clothes on their backs and their pet snake.

“All of a sudden our neighbour’s banging on the door telling us to get out. So we had seconds, we couldn’t see, our eyes were burning and we could barely breathe. By the time we got into the hallway it was completely immersed in smoke.” Wale said.

Wale and her children- ages 18, 17, and 4 are now living temporarily in a hotel room at the Accents Inn in Burnaby, a complimentary stay from the hotel until Jan 3.

“I guess there was asbestos in the building. After the fire was distinguished, it was discovered shortly after and we were not allowed to return back and get any of our things,” Wale said.

Wale hopes to find permanent housing before their stay at the hotel ends. She says it has been a sensitive time in her life taking care of three children, one with cerebral palsy.

(Image courtesy of Doris Mah)

“I am pretty emotional. It is really unsettling that I don’t have a place to call home for my children yet. It’s pretty tough. I have been searching but everything is way over our price range. Everything is $2600 plus,” Wale said.

MP Peter Julian understands how difficult it is to find housing for a growing family on a budget. He is trying to help Wale and her three children find a good home outside of a hotel room by putting pressure on the federal government to address the nationwide housing shortage.

“It should be a right. Housing should be a right in this country,” Julian said, “the 150,000 units over the next two years will make a difference – it is a good start-but Canada needs half a million units over the next half-decade to make sure we are really responding to the right that every Canadian family will have a roof over their head at night.”

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On Saturday, the family received an early Christmas present when community organizations stepped up, including the South Burnaby Legion Branch, giving the children presents and a cheque to help with expenses.

“I didn’t think we would receive as much support as we have. It really opened our eyes to the fact that we aren’t alone,” Wale said.

Those wanting to help this holiday can check out the Burnaby Firefighters Charitable Society.