Ipswich family lose Collingwood Park home in devastating blaze just before Christmas

A family has shared their heartbreak after being torn from their Ipswich home when it was destroyed in a “horrible” fire just days before Christmas.

The Stitt family were heartbroken after a devastating fire tore through their dream family home in December.

An Ipswich family have shared their heartbreak after being torn away from their dream home of 13 years when it was destroyed, along with their children’s Christmas presents, in a devastating blaze just days before the holiday.

The Stitt family were forced to leave their belongings behind and relocate when a suspected electrical fire gutted their Collingwood Park house on December 12.

Father Ben Stitt said the fire started while he was at work and quickly ripped through multiple rooms.

His eldest son, 19, had been in the shower and was only half dressed when he spotted the fire, which appeared to have sparked in the roof of the master bedroom and spread rapidly.

The son tried to fight the fire at first but it had grown too large, so he grabbed the family’s dog and took refuge in their neighbour’s house.

The Stitt family were heartbroken after a devastating fire tore through their dream family home in December. Picture: Supplied

Mr Stitt said his wife Ellen was at their local Woolworths with their other son when she received the terrifying call.

He recounted how she’d screamed, dropped her shopping and ran outside, where she could see “black smoke billowing out” in the distance.

“I got the phone call here (at work) and I jumped in the car and raced down there, and by the time I got down towards Collingwood Park you could see the smoke,” Mr Stitt said.

He said firefighters were quick to arrive at the scene and were “just amazing” on the day but the damage was immense.

Mr Stitt said around 95 per cent of his son’s bedroom was “decimated”, the roof had partially collapsed, and the main bathroom was “like you see in the movies … pitch black from top to toe”.

“My daughter’s bedroom door – it was the furthest point away from the fire on that top storey – the front of her door was just soot black. It was horrible.”

The Stitt family were heartbroken after a devastating fire tore through their dream family home in December. Picture: Supplied

The family members were thankfully unharmed and Mr Stitt said he was very glad the fire hadn’t happened in the middle of the night.

But the fire and smoke devastated most of the family’s clothing and personal belongings.

Mr Stitt said around 96 to 97 per cent of his and his wife’s things had been in the master bedroom and “was all burnt and gone”.

“The kids had bits and pieces … Some of the stuff we washed seven, eight, ten times and it still had that lingering smoke smell to it.”

Most of their Christmas presents were destroyed with the exception of a few the firefighters managed to save from under the tree, which Mr Stitt said was a “godsend”.

The Stitt family were heartbroken after a devastating fire tore through their dream family home in December.

Mr Stitt said he was amazed when firefighters told him their fire followed another local house fire in Walloon the previous day – which has an active GoFundMe running currently.

He said the loss was particularly devastating as they had poured so much soul and effort to transform the house into the perfect family home over the last 13 years.

Mr Stitt and his wife bought the house after they outgrew their former home in Springfield and had fallen in love with it at first sight.

“To have it knocked down and that sort of stuff, it’s a bit sad,” he said.

“We’d just finished the new kitchen in it – we’d put up with a crappy kitchen in it for 13 years … We didn’t even get to enjoy that side of it.”

Further, his wife Ellen had undergone a hip surgery just weeks prior to the fire.

“Had it been two weeks previous, she would have been at home recovering in that bedroom where the fire started from – that could have been a heck of a different story,” Mr Stitt said.

“She was meant to be doing her whole resting thing … rest and relax doesn’t sort of come in the realm of the house burning down.”

The Stitt family were heartbroken after a devastating fire tore through their dream family home in December.

He, along with his wife and three teenage children, were forced to relocate to Mrs Stitt’s sister’s house in Wellington Point, where they have since been recuperating and piecing their lives back together.

“Hopefully next year’s Christmas will be back in the house,” Mr Stitt said.

“It’s just gut-wrenching.”

The family are now in the process of working with their insurance to find a rental closer to home before school starts up again.

“Of course it’s been the worst time of year for something like to happen where everything shuts down – there’s been a bit of delay,” Mr Stitt said.

“You’ve sort of got to take it in your stride … There’s not much you can do – especially with the kids, you’ve gotta keep going.”

The Stitt family were heartbroken after a devastating fire tore through their dream family home in December.

Mr Stitt said his family were overwhelmed by their community’s support with many offering to help wash and store their smoke-engulfed clothes.

Their local Woolworths donated $500 worth of vouchers after witnessing Mrs Stitt’s horrified reaction in their store the day of the fire.

Mr Stitt said even their glasses providers Specsavers had generously “looked after the whole thing” when the family purchased new glasses recently.

“It’s just things like that you don’t expect from people … Things like that blow you away,” he said.

“Probably one of the big daunting things of it was to accept all of that help from people … We’re not the people who get the help, we’re the people who go and help.”

Their niece started a GoFundMe after the fire, which has currently raised more than $20,000.

Mr Stitt said the funds had helped them purchase new mattresses and a fridge.

He also thanked the community and fire and ambulance personnel for all their support.

“Just the way everyone came together for it is pretty phenomenal … It’s really humbling and you just sort of have to take stock,” he said.

Anyone interested in donating can do so here.

Originally published as Ipswich family lose Collingwood Park home in devastating blaze just before Christmas