Donations rolling in for fire families
Appeals have been launched to help three Redcliffe families who lost everything in devastating fires at the weekend.
GoFundMe campaigns are now open for each following the blaze which destroyed the three neighbouring homes in Clontarf on Saturday afternoon.
A 36-year-old Dakabin man has been charged with one count of arson (domestic violence), three counts of attempted murder (domestic violence) and two further counts of arson.
At the time of writing, almost $35,000 has been donated across three GoFundMe platforms for the Weaber St families.
Links to the GoFundMe pages:
Ben and Michelle - https://gofund.me/97e0abf70
Addie and Roman - https://gofund.me/185bade76
Riki and Hollie - https://gofund.me/1a3490b42
State Member for Redcliffe Kerri-Anne Dooley, urged Redcliffe to “please get behind them to help them rebuild”.
She said it was “utterly devastating” for the Beaumonts whose teenage son Angus was murdered six years ago on the peninsula.
His ashes were reportedly in the house. It is not known if they were saved.
On a fundraising page set-up for them, Ben Beaumont said they had “just managed to get out of the house” and thanked everyone for their support.
“We will have to close services for B & M Gardening for a week or two while we rebuild our equipment and find a place to live,” Ben wrote.
“I think we will need help with some household items shortly and I will post a list of items that anybody could help us with. We need to find a home to live in first.
“To my two neighbours I hope you are okay. They will both need significant help over the next few months also.”
Ben’s sister Mandy, who set-up the GoFundMe appeal, says on the page: “They have lost everything. They have nothing.
“I am in tears over here, shaking and at a loss how to fix this. Please help me to help them. Every single cent raised will go directly to him (Ben) and his family.”
Alana, who set up a GoFundMe page for her brother Riki and sister-in-law Hollie, neighbours of the Beaumonts, said their home is “unliveable”.
“The fire just spread too fast and they have lost everything,” Alana says, “they are a family with six kids, both work hard, always first to help anyone, never expecting a thing in return.
“At the moment they have the clothes they had on the day they had to leave and their dog Stormy, which my brother ran back into the burning house to save.”
Taylor Johnson, who started the GoFundMe page for sister Addie and partner Roman, said they “had just moved out of home for the first time” and only lived there a few months.
“Even after everything they have been through, Addie and Roman went to the local fire brigade and delivered a hamper to say thank you to the firefighters who responded.
“That small act says a lot about the kind of people they are. Any support will help them start to rebuild and feel safe again.”