West Carleton family reeling after loss of second home to fire in 18 months

A GoFundMe page is looking to help a West Carleton family of four after the loss of its second home to fire in the last year-and-a-half.

Investigators from the Office of the Ontario Fire Marshal were at the scene of a blaze on Woodkilton Road on Saturday, February 22, after a fire on Thursday, February 18 destroyed a home which was under construction. 

It turns out the home being built was for Kyle and Jenna Burke, and their two kids Bentley and Emma, who had lost their previous house, and their family dog, in a fire back in September of 2019.

Jen, Jess, Heidi and Shawna, who launched the GoFundMe on behalf of the Burkes, say Jenna and Kyle had been spending every free moment overseeing, helping, and finishing work at their new house, which was just weeks away from being able to be lived in.

“Unimaginable. The idea that one family can lose everything not only once, but twice,” write the women on the fundraising page. “The unbearable thought that a 5 and 8-year-old should ever have to face something like this. Twice. The heartbreak that the entire family feels is so unfair. To finally be done their house and have some solace, just to have it ripped away from them in the blink of an eye.”

The group hopes to raise funds for the family, to “help support them in any way they need. From personal belongings to bill payments to services and fees. The hard truth is that the second time around is going to be much more challenging, with a lot of uncertainties.”

The GoFundMe, which was started Sunday, February 21, has already raised $21,875.