The home of Erica and Mike Powell and everything in it was destroyed by fire on Friday, Dec. 23.
The couple, their 13-year-old son and their two dogs had been living in their 2009, Outback recreation vehicle at the WhistlePunk Hollow Adventure RV Park campground since October.
Originally from Edmonton, they moved to Squamish to be closer to Mike while he worked installing fiber optic cables in and around the Lower Mainland.
On Friday at about 2 p.m. the parents were wrapping some Christmas presents on their bed when their son, Justin, heard two pops from underneath where he sat on his bed in the trailer. Suddenly, “the back was just full of smoke,” Erica recalled.
Mike ran out and tried to put the fire out with a hose, but to no avail. The roof by then was in flames.
“It was our everything,” Erica said of the fifth wheel, her voice cracking with emotion.
The family and dogs got out of the blaze mostly unscathed, though Erica was transported to Squamish Hospital with some smoke inhalation, she said.
“It could have been much worse,” Erica said. The cause of the fire was electrical, and originated under Justin’s bed, according to Erica.
The District of Squamish said Fire Rescue couldn’t confirm the cause of the fire, however Squamish RCMP say the blaze was not suspicious.
The family is currently staying in a temporary home in Vancouver found for them by Mike’s company.
Erica said the couple’s son has been holding up best since the tragedy. “He has always been my rock,” she said. “He’s doing better than I am.”
Though devastated, the family has been overwhelmed with the support they have received from Squamish residents, Erica stressed.
One of the RCMP officers who came to the scene even went to his car and brought back a pair of boots for Justin.
They don’t like to ask for help, but the family is daunted by what they need to replace.
The couple has no insurance. Everything from their clothes to cell phones to her son’s video games and consoles are all lost.
Even his schoolwork went up in flames. Justin has been taking online courses while the family adjusted to life after leaving Alberta earlier this fall, Erica said.
They have been offered a free place to stay in Williams Lake, so will have to head up there soon, Erica said.
They can’t afford to stay in Squamish and the homeowners of where they are currently staying will be returning from Christmas vacation shortly, she added.
While items have been offered, the couple doesn’t have a way to get donations up to their future home.
Their goal now is to pay off the loan they took out to buy the fifth wheel so they can buy a new trailer.
A Go Fund Me page, Mike and Erica Loss, has been set up to help raise funds for the family.
*Please note, this story has been updated since it was first posted to include information from the District of Squamish and the Squamish RCMP.
