Fire destroys family home

The home belonging to single mother Terra Babstock and her two young children was completely destroyed, burning down in a matter of minutes.

“That is one of the hazards of those older mobile homes,” said Little Harbour Fire Chief Dale Richardson, “they don’t have gyprock and have paneling throughout them and are very flammable. It doesn’t take very long for one of those to go.”

According to Richardson the Little Harbour Fire Department got the call at 4:25 p.m. and by the time they, along with the Lockeport and Sable River Fire Departments, arrived on the scene the home was fully engulfed.

The fire that tore through the home on Craig Road was determined to be from a grease fire that had started in the kitchen.

“I was cooking supper,” explained Babstock, “and I went to use the bathroom. I was cooking those pan-fried potato’s the kids like so much. When I got back the whole stove was up in flames.”

Immediately Babstock yelled to where her children were playing outside and told them to run to the neighbours and get help.

She ran back to the bathroom and filled up a bucket of water not realizing as she poured the water onto the fire that her efforts would only make the flames grow bigger, faster and more out of control instead of extinguishing it.

“My neighbour came over and said ‘Terra get the hell out of there now’”, remembered Babstock.

She left the house, leaving behind everything, to be eaten and demolished by the quickly building flames.

“I lost everything,” said the young mother, “there wasn’t even time to get my purse.”

There was no insurance for the home.

Since the fire, the family has been staying with a friend, but the memory of the fire and the uncertainness of the future have been unsettling for both the mother and her five-year old daughter and seven-year old son.

“They were screaming when they saw the fire and were really shaken up,” said Babstock. “It was really scary.”

“I didn’t sleep for three days afterwards but just tossed and turned all night because all I had in my mind was the pictures of the flames,” she recalls.

Her children are having a rough time being away from their own home and like their mother have had trouble sleeping since the blaze.

“I’m just trying to get them as calm as possible,” explained Babstock.

Her voice chokes up slightly and Babstock explains how sad her daughter was to have lost the three new bags of clothes dropped of the morning of the fire for the children.

“All my new clothes are gone mommy,” she had cried to her mother.

Babstock has not been alone in her struggle as friends and neighbours have started to come together; donating clothes, food and necessities for the family.

The young family hopes to get a home back on the land as soon as they are able.

“We are trying to find a place right now,” said Babstock, “something to put on the land because it’s a beautiful piece of land and my neighbours all miss us.”

Although Babstock is happy with the generosity and help from her neighbours and friends she just misses her own home.

“Just the comfort of home,” Babstock explained, “The comfort of being in your own place and not having to rely on other people for other things.”

A bank account has been set up at the RBC Branch in Lockeport for donations for the family.