The community has rallied to support a Hillside family who lost their home and belongings in a house fire on Tuesday, September 23.
Thirty firefighters fought the blaze that engulfed the rear of the single-storey home in Whitmore Place occupied by James Bell, Rochelle Ellis, and their three children Zayne (7), Izaiah (9), and Ava-Leigh.
The family escaped the blaze but suffered burns.
Mr Bell and Ms Ellis were rushed to the Alfred Hospital in serious conditions while Izaiah and Zayne, who was in a critical condition, were transported to the Royal Children’s Hospital.
Neighbour and family friend Louise Sheehan said Ms Ellis and Izaiah have since been released from hospital, and that Mr Bell and Zayne — who both suffered more severe injuries — are making slow but good progress.
Ms Sheehan was asleep when the fire started.
“At the time I had no idea what had happened. The neighbour in between our two houses knocked on my door and mentioned there was a fire so I grabbed my kids and went out the front and just saw smoke everywhere,” Ms Sheehan said.
“I looked to the right and the house was just in flames.”
Ms Sheehan expressed gratitude for two of her neighbours, Zac and his wife Tahlia, who immediately took action.
She said on seeing the deep cuts James had sustained to his arm, Zac took off his t-shirt and tied it around the wounds to stop the artery from bleeding out further.
“They’ve lost everything. The house will have to be demolished and rebuilt,” Ms Sheehan said.
The day after the incident Mr Bell’s sister, Laressa Turetahi, started an online ‘gofundme’ campaign for the family.
On the fundraising page, where donations have surpassed $140,000, Ms Turetahi wrote that the fire was caused by an oil heater.
She also said the youngest child, Ava-Leigh, only suffered minor burns and was recovering with family.
After the incident, Sydenham Hillside Primary School, which is attended by Zayne and Izaiah, opened up its gym for donations and received an outpouring of items for the family.
Ms Ellis visited the school and, in a social media post, thanked community members “for the incredible love, kindness and support” they had shown the family.
“Losing our home has been heartbreaking but the care we’ve received from this community has truly lifted us up during one of the most difficult times,” Ms Ellis wrote.
“Please know that your compassion has made a huge difference to our family. We feel very blessed to be part of such a caring school community and we will always remember the way you rallied around us in our time of need.”
Ms Sheehan also put a callout on social media, telling residents they could leave donations for the family at her house if they couldn’t stop by the school.
“I came back and there were bags of clothes, boxes, everything on my doorstep and I just burst out into tears,” Ms Sheehan said.
“This is unbelievable. The community that we live in is absolutely incredible.”
Sydenham Hillside Primary School will sell bandanas at the school office from October 6, with proceeds going directly to the Bell family.
Donations for the online fundraiser can be made here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/9muym-rebuilding-hope-after-a-devastating-house-fire
