A small residential fire burned down one trailer and severely damaged another near the McDonalds in Prince Prince Rupert this week, leaving one woman homeless.
The Prince Rupert Fire Department Deputy Chief Colin O’Hara confirmed the fire did not affect any other buildings in the area. He also said the cause of the fire was “undetermined.”
Fran Grant said she was about to fall asleep on Monday, Oct. 2, when Prince Rupert RCMP rushed her out of her near-scalding home. While Grant’s home was not affected on the inside, its exterior is visibly damaged, and she has been staying at the Parkside Motel since the incident happened.
“The inside is in good shape, but on the exterior, the doors are melted, all the windows are scorched,” said Grant’s son-in-law Bob Middlekoop, who is also a firefighter.
The extreme heat made Grant’s door cave in, forcing the 80-year-old to kick her door open and leave the area.
O’Hara said a crew of 14 firefighters swiftly put out the blaze, ensuring it did not spread further to Grant’s trailer or the Parkside Motel next door.
Grant, who lived in the 2015 Jayco trailer with her cat, moved to Prince Rupert in May to be closer to her daughter and son-in-law. She said she knows she can always move in with them, but likes her independence and enjoyed her situation at the Parkside Motel.
“I had an almost brand new trailer, and I was happy there,” she said. “Everything was convenient.”
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Grant had just settled into life in Prince Rupert, an area she said she loves. The senior is staying at the Parkside Motel with the help of its owner, who Grant said has been an amazing help during this difficult period.
”Everything was organized. She’s already managed to get a doctor,” said Grant’s daughter Stephanie Angela Brown. “She’s completely settled into Prince Rupert.”
According to Brown, Grant still has to make payments on the now-derelict trailer, leaving the senior in a desperate financial situation.
Grant also had to be treated for blood pressure and pulse irregularities at the Prince Rupert Regional Hospital after the traumatic event.
While she waits to learn more about the neighbour’s insurance details, Grant and her family are hoping she can be moved up the waiting list for affordable senior housing due to her exceptional circumstances.
A GoFundMe has been created to aid Grant after the disastrous event.