Maskwacis house fire (GoFundMe)

By Alessia Proietti

Loss of one male and five cats

GoFundMe to help family of fatal house fire in Maskwacis

Apr 22, 2022 | 11:21 AM

A GoFundMe page has been set up for a family who lost their home and a loved one in a fatal house fire in Maskwacis.

“None of them deserved this. I’m so heartbroken for everyone; really just a loss for words,” said Kennedy Wolfe, niece and cousin of the Morin family.

On April 14, Alberta RCMP confirmed they received a call at around 5:24 a.m. to aid in a house fire with five occupants.

Wolfe said the home of 15 years for the family is completely destroyed and all their belongings have either been burnt or have water damage.

“They literally have nothing. They lost everything to their glasses. They didn’t even have shoes on going to the hospital,” she said.

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As the family also struggles financially, Wolfe said she decided to create a GoFundMe in hopes of raising $60,000 to help her family rebuild their lives. To date, the page has raised $3,140.

The day of the fire, Wolfe said her cousin Draven was the first to wake up to the smell of smoke, finding the living room couch in flames. With his younger brother, Kevin Jr., and father, Kevin Sr., all three were able to exit the home with non-life threatening injuries.

However, younger brothers Christian and Ryan, both having autism, were still in the house.

While Christian was the first to be found by firefighters, Wolfe said 90 per cent of his body was burned.

Wolfe recounts that Ryan was later found on the opposite side of the house.

Both boys were taken to hospital. Wolfe said that Ryan will remain in hospital for up to two weeks being treated for severe lung damage from the smoke but ultimately will be alright. 19-year-old Christian, however, was confirmed to have passed away later that morning.

The two sisters of the family, Kiandra and Samantha, were not home that night.

The family’s five cats, however, were also lost in the fire.

Wolfe described the boys as being her closest cousins. Living an hour away, she said they made her feel welcome every visit with a greeting of excitement at the door.

“They are all very sweet, have a good sense of humour and always willing to help out family and be there for family, always, whenever needed. We spent a lot of time together playing video games growing up; we all still do. Christian and Ryan especially brought so much joy to everyone; the sweetest, sweetest boys,” she said.

Although the cause of the fire is still unknown and RCMP confirmed it was non-criminal in nature, Wolfe said there is a suspicion of electrical issues.

Wolfe also expressed the importance of teaching children about fire protocols.

“Teach your kids fire safety, especially special needs children. Teach them yearly not just once,” she said.

Along with raising funds, Wolfe is also seeking donations of household furniture, food, clothing, and other items to help the family.