Huron County family picking up the pieces following house fire
Cassandra Carter and her family had just left their rented farmhouse on Cardiff Road, between Belgrave and Wingham, Ont. early Saturday morning, when they got a phone call.
“One of my cousins called to say he heard there was a fire on Cardiff Road, and it was ours,” said Carter while standing in front of her destroyed home.
Carter rushed to the scene, but it was too late — her family’s home was engulfed in flames, and their two dogs were trapped inside.
“We had a St. Bernard and an Australian Shepherd inside. The Australian Shepherd was Abigail’s birthday present last year,” said Carter.
Carter, her two children and partner, Tim Wharton, lost everything in the blaze, including all their clothes, food, furniture, children’s toys, and keepsakes.
A farmhouse levelled by fire near Wingham, Ont. is seen on Feb. 8, 2023. (Scott Miller/CTV News London)
They’re currently living in a Wingham motel, with leads on some temporary housing, but the lack of available places to buy or rent is making their search difficult.
“Hopefully we’ll find something. Eventually, I guess, there will be something. Just time, I suppose,” said Carter.
Carter said they still don’t know what started the fire, but they are thankful no human members of their family were hurt.
If there is a silver living during the family’s darkest days, it’s been the community support.
Cassandra Carter, her daughters and their landlord stand in front of what’s left of the Carter/Wharton farmhouse on Cardiff Road, following a fire on Feb. 4, 2023. (Scott Miller/CTV News London)
Fundraisers at the girl’s school and Cassie’s employer, the Tim Hortons in Blyth, Ont. has brought in loads of clothing and toys for the girls. Friends have started an online fundraising campaign, already raising over $2,000 in just a few days.
“We knew there would be community support, but the amount that there is, is beyond believable,” said Carter.
To learn more about the Carter’s situation you can visit their Facebook page and online fundraiser.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
First court appearance for boy and girl charged in death of Halifax 16-year-old
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.