Family of 15 loses home 2 months after teenage son's highway death
A Manitoba family has lost nearly everything in a fire only a few months after a tragic collision killed their teenage son.
In November, Jakob and Julia Bool's 19-year-old son Florian died in a crash on Highway 52. On Sunday afternoon their house in the small community of Kleefeld went up in flames.
"They smelled the smoke in the house and started to look around for where it [came] from. All of a sudden, Julia opened the door to the garage and she realized the big black smoke there," said Waldemar Werner, Jakob's brother-in-law.
The parents and their 13 children raced from their home to the safety of a neighbour's house where they watched all of their belongings burn.
"They lost everything, even the family vehicle that they had — everything that they had," Werner said.
"They only have stuff [that] they had on their body. They don't even have shoes."
The fire started in the garage which is attached to the house near the bedrooms. Werner said it could have been worse if the blaze tore through at night when everyone was sleeping.
"Everybody is good. No one was hurt," he said.
For the time being, the parents and children — aged four months to 20 — are staying with Werner.
The community has rallied behind the family to provide clothing, shoes, mattresses and other immediate needs, Werner added.
"Neighbours, church members, community, everybody is helping where they can and that's a big help," he said.
A GoFundMe page was also started on Sunday. On Monday, it had already raised almost $15,000 of its $20,000 goal.
"Thanks to everybody. It's nice to have so much help," Werner said.
Kleefeld is located about 60 kilometres south of Winnipeg.
