(submitted photo/Karinne Seiferling)

By Ben Tompkins

Red Earth Cree Nation

Family of eight reeling after complete loss of home and belongings

Jan 31, 2023 | 4:59 PM

A house fire at Red Earth Cree Nation has left a local family without a home.

Late last Saturday night, a family of eight was forced to evacuate with just the clothes on their back.

“We didn’t even think about taking anything, because by the time we got to the main floor, the smoke was already coming out the back and coming down fast, so we just pushed all our kids out the door,” explained homeowner and mother, Lenore Lathlin.

“One of the kids didn’t even have clothes, just a pull-up, and I managed to grab my jacket, which had my keys in it, and we just put everybody in the van.”

The family has since been living in a hotel in Nipawin, however, it’s not exactly big enough for two adults, six kids, and a dog.

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They also haven’t really been able to leave the hotel, as none of them have proper winter wear, and the shoes they were loaned are too big.

The focus for the family has now switched to finding temporary residence, however, all they have yet to find is a small unit, which only has one bed.

While the family is asking for things like blankets, pillows, and pots and pans, the fear is that they simply can’t accept any of that right now, as there’s no room for it.

Things they can accept are car seats, winter jackets for Lathlin and her boyfriend, and clothes for them all, as they only have about five pairs between them at this point in time.

Lathlin said she’s been very appreciative of all that’s been given so far, however, it’s quite difficult to not feel lost.

“I had somebody driving me around because I couldn’t see because my glasses were in the house fire and we just kind of let her know we feel kind of displaced right now,” she added.

“I went to the place where my house once stood and seeing it not there it made me think ‘Why did this happen? Why can’t we come home? Even my five-year-old said that we’re going to go home and then she was pretty surprised to see that there was no house.”

For now, anything that is donated will be stored away, as Lathlin’s mom said there’s room in her shed.

Currently, there isn’t a GoFundMe set up, as Lenore does not know how, however, e-transfers are welcome and can be sent to Lenore.Lathlin.85@icloud.com

Lastly, Lathlin thanked the community once again for their support, as this has been a traumatic experience for her in more ways than one.

“This is the second house fire for me,” she said. “The first was back in 2005 in the morning and we were sleeping when it happened. When this fire started, I kept having flashbacks, and I was crying over and over… I was still traumatized from the first house fire I was in.”

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Ben.Tompkins@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter @BenTompkins_8