Photo: NWFR
Campers at Evely Campground in northwest Okanagan Lake narrowly escaped a burning kitchen in an early Wednesday morning fire.
Tiffany and Michael Pare lived in their trailer at the BC Parks Recreation Area.
Tiffany’s father, Daniel Pare, says she suffered first and second degree burns trying to get her pets out of the home.
“Unfortunately, their dogs and cat didn’t make it,” says her father.
“They ended up standing outside, injured, practically naked, watching their animals burn alive – and all their belongings go up in smoke.”
“Michael and I are doing well physically,” Tiffany says on her Facebook page.
“I have most of the burns from desperately trying to save Loki, Asha and Jackson the cat.
“I woke up at 2 in the morning, I don’t know why I did it. I just did it. I got up to turn off the light (there was no light…it was a fire) and found smoke coming out of the kitchen window from outside.
“I looked and saw that one of our chairs had been randomly set on fire and the side of the van was engulfed in flames.”
She says the couple slept for more than two hours and didn’t have a fire Tuesday night.
She believes the fire is suspicious and says that just seconds after she woke Michael up, the trailer was engulfed in flames.
“Had we stayed a little longer, our burns would have been worse, if not fatal.”
They fled, fearing the trailer’s propane tanks would explode.
The two have been discharged from the hospital and are staying at a friend’s house, Daniel says, “with no idea how they’re going to put their lives back together.”
He traveled from Florida to be with them and help them.
Meanwhile, a GoFundMe campaign has been launched to help the couple.
“Tiffany broke her arm trying to break a window to get the pets out. Naked and scared, they got clothes from other campers. They lost everything. Their vehicles burned, no phones, no ID, nothing left,” said organizer Eric Clarke.
As of Thursday afternoon, the campaign had raised $4,780 toward a $10,000 goal.
Photo: GoFundMe
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