Fire wrecks Christmas

By Sarah Schwager
A CRANBOURNE family of seven has been devastated by the loss of their home just days before Christmas.
Chris and Kimberley Thomson’s house burnt down early yesterday morning, destroying not only their belongings but also their Christmas tree and all their presents.
Mrs Thomson’s father John Hodder said the couple had done all their Christmas shopping on Monday and Tuesday and dozed off in the lounge room on Tuesday night after wrapping their presents.
He said that luckily the smoke alarm woke them up and they managed to get all of their five children out of the house.
“Chris had to run back in and get one of the twins who they thought was out already,” Mr Hodder said.
“We’re just so thankful. It could have been so much worse.”
The children are all under seven and three of them have a disability.
Mr Hodder said Cameron, 7, has ADHD, Jenny, 6, is blind, Macie, 4, has epilepsy, and the twins Nicholas and Anthony are three.
“They’ve lost everything. It’s just devastating,” he said. “All the kids’ Christmas presents are gone.”
Phil Charles from the Cranbourne CFA said while the house was destroyed, luckily the brigades arrived at the house in time and no one was seriously hurt.
Mrs Thomson received burns to her hand and was taken to Dandenong Hospital but the burns were not serious.
Brigades from Cranbourne and Clyde attended the fire when they were called out to the Clarendon Street house just before 3am yesterday.
The fire started in one of the bedrooms and burnt 80 per cent of the house. There was also damage to the boundary fence.
A CFA spokesman said the fire caused about $150,000 damage. The fire was yesterday under investigation and it has still not been determined how it started.
The family will stay with Mrs Thomson’s parents until alternative arrangements can be made.
Mr Hodder thanked the CFA for responding to the emergency so quickly.
Anyone who wants to donate to the family can call John Hodder on 9533 5453.