A KERANG family has been heartened by the district’s generosity after their home was destroyed by fire last Saturday morning.
Less than 24 hours after Paul Goodson, his four children and partner, Krystal Green, lost most of their possessions in the Andrew Street blaze on January 2, clothing, bedding, furniture and household goods have been donated to the stricken family via social media and through businesses in the district.
The family will also be able to replace a few essentials after the Lions Club of Kerang and Lions Foundation presented a cheque of $2500 during a handover on Wednesday.
Ms Green, 26, was airlifted to The Alfred hospital to undergo emergency treatment for second degree burns and severe lacerations, sustained after she fled the burning home through a window about 2.30am.
Mr Goodson, 36, and the children were camping with family and friends at Gunbower.
Ms Green was discharged from hospital on Monday morning.
In response, Lions Club of Kerang members sprang into action, applying to the District 201V6 Foundation for an emergency grant.
Lions Club of Kerang president, John Poole, who was joined by fellow members, Peter Niall and Jeff Jackson to hand over funding on Wednesday, said it is a bittersweet presentation.
“It’s sad that the family has lost all their valuable possessions but Lions is very pleased to be in a position to assist with emergency funds,” he said.
Ms Green said she was overwhelmed at the community’s generosity, which has alleviated the stress and given her precious family time.
“It is amazing the response that we have had, which has taken so much stress off us knowing that we have had people back us up and get behind us,” she said.
“It was pretty hectic. You just think you have to get out. The second you hesitate you might not get out.”
Ms Green, who moved from Queensland about 18 months ago, said she ran to the furthest point in the house where she knew there was a big enough window to leap from.
“If I had known the other room wasn’t on fire, I would have went there because the window was open, but you don’t know those things in the heat of the moment. Obviously adrenaline kicks in and plays a big part,” she said.
Ms Green said she ran to her neighbours for help.
“They started first aid straight away. A lady came around the corner after seeing the house on fire and she brought her first aid kit and started treating me before the paramedics arrived,” she recalled.
“They hosed me down in cold water for about 20 minutes.
Ms Green said she was lucky to escape the inferno as the house was gutted within 20 minutes of firefighters arriving.
“There was a lot of smoke. As I opened my bedroom door I knew something was wrong because I couldn’t breathe properly,” she said.
“There were no flames coming towards me at this point, just a lot of heat from it.”
“The things we lost in the fire are just material things. You can always rebuild.”
Ms Green said she stayed awake until 2am watching movies.
“So, I was in a couple of stages of sleep and I happened to come to it sub-consciously knowing something was wrong,” she said.
Ms Green’s mother drove from Queensland to be by her daughter’s side.
Mr Goodson said he hoped to thank everyone who supported his family with a beer and a feed.
“Hopefully after everything is all settled we can have a dinner at the pub and get all the people together that helped,” he said.
Mr Niall, who is chair of the District Foundation, said all foundation funds were raised by member clubs.
“It won’t replace the memories but it will help with the essentials, and the Christmas presents that were presumably destroyed,” he said.
An electrical fault in the front porch light’s wiring has been blamed for starting the fire.
