A fire erupted in the King's Park area today, destroying two homes, leaving three brothers, three children, and a woman without a bed, clothes, and a home.
53-year-old Errol Garbutt had left his home to buy food, and shortly after he returned, he didn't even see the fire until the construction workers across the street alerted him that his home was burning. And the flames spread quickly, burning his brothers' two story home as well.
It's a devastating incident for this family, but the fire department believes it may have been caused by shared electrical lines.
Courtney Menzies was on the scene of the fire today and has this story.
This morning, firefighters tackled a raging fire that tore through two homes, leaving seven persons without a roof tonight.
The family yard on Gentle Avenue held three homes where the Garbutt brothers lived. The fire started in the smallest of the homes, where 53-year-old Errol Garbutt lived alone. This rubble is where his house had stood.
Errol Garbutt, Fire Victim
"I come home earlier but I locked the house when I went to the store and I was outside sitting down, the workers over this side hail me and told me my house is on fire."
Reporter:
"Talk to us about what you saw when you got inside."
Errol Garbutt, Fire Victim
"I didn't get inside. I couldn't get the lock open. I got my hand burnt because I was trying to get the lock."
Courtney Menzies:
"So it started it in your house?"
Errol Garbutt, Fire Victim
"Yes ma'am."
Courtney Menzies:
"Do you know what started it?"
Errol Garbutt, Fire Victim
"I do not know ma'am."
Courtney Menzies:
"Do you have electricity?"
Errol Garbutt, Fire Victim
"Yes, ma'am, one drop current."
Courtney Menzies:
"But you don't have candles..."
Errol Garbutt, Fire Victim
"Nothing, nothing was lit."
Courtney Menzies:
"And what all did you lose?"
Errol Garbutt, Fire Victim
"Everything, all my clothes, my passport, my birth paper, everything, money. I had $150 in a tennis - ah!"
Reporter:
"Do you know what you're going to do now?"
Errol Garbutt, Fire Victim
"Nothing, I do not know sir. I do not know."
Reporter:
"Where you're going to stay?"
Errol Garbutt, Fire Victim
"Nowhere. Nowhere."
From there, the fire spread to the main house, where two brothers, one of their common-law-wife, and three children lived. They weren't at home, and their other brother - who lives in the back of the yard, tried to save their house.
Esmond Garbutt, Brother of Fire Victim
"By the time I run outside, I see him throwing water so I grabbed the next bucket and I was trying to help throw water too but it had already blown up already and I couldn't take the heat so I had to run outside."
Reporter:
"What went through your mind when you were told the house is on fire?"
Esmond Garbutt, Brother of Fire Victim
"Hm, I just said, well my brother lost everything because he's at work right now."
Reporter:
"You have any idea what may have caused the fire?"
Esmond Garbutt, Brother of Fire Victim
"No idea. I just, when I came out here I just saw the fire, I was just trying to help throw water, but couldn't save anything."
"Nothing destroyed for me because I was in my own house downstairs."
The fire department's quick response stopped the fire from spreading to his house, and today, the station supervisor explained that they believe it was an electrical issue.
Kenneth Mortis, Station Supervisor, NFS
"The building had a registered meter to BEL, we're still leaning toward the fact of an electrical malfunction for the main reason was that his structure was receiving electricity from the adjacent building from it. While Mr Gabutt says he was sure he didn't leave anything running in terms of a fan or more, we are still trying to directly determine directly the cause of this fire."
And while they continue their investigation, 7 members of this family are left with only the clothes on their backs. If you would like to help them, they can be reached at phone number 622-9198.
The ages of the children are a 5-year-old boy, and two girls that are 11 and 14.
Again, the number to call is 622-9198.
