‘Everything is gone’: Investigators reveal cause of blaze after young family loses everything

Investigators have revealed the cause of a tragic blaze early this morning, which has left a young Tasmanian family homeless with only the clothes on their back. HOW YOU CAN HELP >>

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UPDATE:

A fundraising drive is underway for a young family who lost their home and all their possessions in a fire on Wednesday morning.

Stephen Edwards, Ella Williams and their two and 14 month old boys have been left homeless and with only the clothes they were wearing after the blaze which started when a hotplate at their South Burnie rental was left on accidentally.

Mr Edwards’ sister Andrea has set up a GoFund Me page and more than $500 has already been raised to help the family buy essentials while they look for somewhere else to live.

“”My brother, his partner and their two young children are in need of any help available,” Ms Edwards said.

“Their house completely burnt down and they have lost everything. Any and all help is appreciated.”

Stephen Edwards and Ella Williams with their two little boys Oliver (2) and Hudson (14 months) outside their destroyed rental property in South Burnie

Ms Edwards said the community had been wonderful so far donating lot of goods which she is storing in her garage.

But what the family really needs is somewhere to live.

They couple went to Housing Tasmania on Wednesday afternoon and have been offered emergency hotel accommodation for a week.

“People have been so generous but they have nowhere to store goods.

“What they urgently need is somewhere to live.

“The puppies have been surrendered to the pound and Stephen is loathe to ask for help but help is what they need.”

INITIAL: A YOUNG Tasmanian family are homeless after a fire destroyed their private rental early this morning.

“What hasn’t been burnt is ruined by smoke,” Stephen Edwards said on the footpath across the road from the South Burnie house he rented with his partner and two young sons.

Techsafe investigator Richard Tattersall and fire investigators Darryl Hancock and Shayne Andrews look to determine the cause of a house fire in Devon St, South Burnie. Picture: GRANT WELLS

“Everything is gone, the kids Christmas presents, the lot.”

Mr Edwards said his partner had woken up about 6am to the sound of crackling and woke up the rest of the family. The fire alarm then also activated.

“The upside is we all, including five puppies, escaped but this is certainly not the start of a New Year I was expecting,” he said.

“The whole inside is gone. We have the clothes on our backs.”

The little boys, Oliver and Hudson, are just two years and 14 months old and have no idea the struggle their parents now face heading into 2021.

The family had lived at the Devon St property for almost two years and did not have content insurance.

Stephen Edwards and Ella Williams with their two little boys Oliver (2) and Hudson (14 months) outside their destroyed rental property in South Burnie

“It looks like the fire started in the kitchen. But everyone was in bed and we just had to get out. We simply didn’t have time to grab anything.”

The house in Devon St, South Burnie from which a young family escaped after a fire took hold. Picture: GRANT WELLS

Fire investigators later determined the fire was accidental, saying it was caused by a hotplate being left on accidentally.

The hotplate then ignited another appliance nearby.

Crews were called to the house about 6am and found a large amount of smoke coming from the building on arrival.

Crews extinguished the fire – which was contained to the front of the old weatherboard house – and damage is estimated at around $150,000.

If anyone would like to help the family they can email [e-mail].