Longanlea home destroyed by house fire, 19 pets die

Nineteen family pets have perished in a devastating house fire that tore through a Loganlea home with a mum and her two-year-old daughter narrowly escaping before the blaze took hold. SEE THE VIDEO

A family of four has narrowly escaped a raging house fire in Logan, with a mum losing 19 of her foster home pets and thousands of dollars’ worth of products from her new business venture.

Emergency crews were called to Catalina Street at Loganlea about 2.40pm Tuesday.

Jade Armitage was home with her two-year-old daughter when the smoke alarms went off.

Darcy, Jade, Brandon and Brad Armitage cleaning up house fire at Catalina Street, Loganlea, Wednesday, October 6, 2021 - Picture: Richard Walker

Miss Armitage said she was thrown into a panic as she moved her daughter Darcy outside and looked for the source of the fire.

The couch on the back patio was where the fire started, with fire investigators saying they are still not sure what sparked it.

A firefighter on scene confirmed they were treating the fire as non-suspicious.

Miss Armitage said as soon as she saw the fire she ran into the kitchen to try and find something to put it out, but quickly realised it was hopeless.

“I started screaming for help and trying to save my animals,” she said.

Her brother Brandon Armitage was home and pulled the mother and daughter to safety.

Jade Armitage holding her daughter Darcy, with Brandon and Brad Armitage. Photo: Madeline

Their father Brad Armitage said Brandon was a pillar of strength for their family during the fire, and that if it wasn’t for him he might have lost his daughter.

“She was going to go back in to save her foster animals, and there was no questions about it,” he said.

“She just loves them so much. Her animals mean the world to her and she’s unreal with them.

“If it wasn’t for Brandon stopping her who knows what could have happened. She might not be here with us today.”

The Loganlea house was completely destroyed in the fire. Picture: 7 News

Miss Armitage has been fostering kittens, guinea pigs, and cats for more than seven years. In the fire she tragically lost six cats and 13 guinea pigs.

Fire crews had the blaze under control by 4pm and reassured the family that with the animal’s tiny lungs, they would have died nearly immediately from smoke inhalation and wouldn’t have suffered too greatly.

Mr Armitage lived in the downstairs area of the home which was mostly unaffected by the fire, and was able to save the majority of his belongings.

“Brandon and I are downstairs it’s Jade and Darcy who were upstairs and who lost everything,” he said.

“I thank the Lord we’re okay but this is still going to have such a devastating effect on my beautiful daughter.

“She’s had a really rough run lately and has just gotten back on her feet and now this happens.

“She’s heartbroken and blames herself for the cats’ deaths especially. The animals and her family were her whole world.”

A house was destroyed by fire at Logan on Tuesday afternoon, leaving one person with burns. PICTURE: Madeline Grace

Miss Armitage had also just kick started a new business selling essential oils. She said she lost thousands of dollars worth of the oils in the fire.

The business was only a year old.

Her best friend, Emily Mcalinden, has started a Go Fund Me page to help the family and has temporarily opened up her home to Miss Armitage and Darcy.

“I’ve got a spare room and bathroom we don’t use so they’re going to come and stay with us until they’re back on their feet,” Mrs Mcalinden said.

“We are so thankful they made it out safely.”

Brad Armitage cleaning up house fire at Catalina Street, Loganlea. PICTURE: Richard Walker

Mrs Mcalinden said the Go Fund Me page is to support the family getting back on their feet with the basics; finding a new place to live, clothes for the family and young child, nappies, food, furniture, and anything else to start all over again.

Emily Brown, a close friend of the family said Miss Armitage had only enough time to escape with her two-year-old daughter and “the clothes on her back”.

“The smoke alarms went off and within minutes the whole deck/ backyard was covered in flames,” friend Emily Brown said.

“What would have felt like seconds later the whole house was overcome by flames, leaving Jade with just enough time to grab her beautiful 2-year-old daughter and flee from the house with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

“Jade rescues and adopts animals, unfortunately Jade was unable to rescue the animals one last time.”

The GoFundMe page is hoping to raise $20,000 for the family to help them “get back on their feet”.

“Any donations big or small are very much appreciated,” Ms Brown said.

“Please keep this beautiful family in your thoughts and prayers tonight.”

Cleaning up house fire at Catalina Street, Loganlea. PICTURE: Richard Walker

Logan House Fire Support Network have helped the family to find temporary accommodation, and Mr Armitage is working with the Real Estate to find a more permanent home for the family.