Online fundraiser claims Croydon family had an ‘unsettling’ visit from strangers before deliberately-lit blaze

A fundraiser has been created for a family of six who lost “absolutely everything” after a “confusing” visit from a stranger.

The fire caused an estimated $300,000 worth of damage. Picture: 7 NEWS

A fundraiser has been created for a Croydon family of six who lost “absolutely everything” after a stranger allegedly torched their home.

Shanelle Kartinyeri, the victim’s sister, set up the GoFundMe a few hours after the family’s Day Tce home went up in flames early on Tuesday.

According to her online fundraiser, the couple and their four children were at home on Monday evening when “visitors arrived at their door banging and clashing in a drunken rage”.

“They had never met this man before,” she wrote.

The home went up in flames on Tuesday, about 12.30am. Picture: 7 NEWS

“Not knowing why he was there to begin with or why he was so enraged called for further confusion and unsettling worry.

“So the family felt safest to go and stay with our dad for the night so they could sleep with ease.

“Luckily they’d made this decision to leave for the night after feeling threatened.”

Fire broke out inside the home just before 12.30am on Tuesday, with 20 firefighters and police rushing to the scene after the alarm was raised.

The family has now been left with an estimated $300,000 damage bill.

“My brother and his family are now forced to start over, from scratch as there is nothing left apart from the overnight bag they’d taken with them and the clothes on their backs,” Ms Kartinyeri wrote.

“I am reaching out to the wider community to come together and open their hearts at this troubling time and help my brother and his family recover from this unwarranted attack.”

The fundraiser has so far raised $1750 of its $3500 target.

Originally published as Online fundraiser claims Croydon family had an ‘unsettling’ visit from strangers before deliberately-lit blaze