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Fundraiser started after South Surrey senior ‘lost everything’ in barn fire

Barn catches fire in Surrey, destroys contents

A South Surrey family is raising money for their elderly tenant after he “lost everything” in a barn fire Friday afternoon.

Surrey Fire Service got called to the structure fire on the 5000-block of 176 Street shortly before 1:30 p.m.

Assistant chief of operations Steve Serbic told Black Press Media more than 20 firefighters responded to the call, and the barn was “fully involved” when crews arrived.

RELATED: Barn catches fire in Surrey

The following day, the family that rented the barn to the 80-year-old man for storage and his workshop contacted Peace Arch News and launched a GoFundMe page.

“An elderly man was using the barn, he had all of this equipment and vehicles inside that barn and he wasn’t insured. The barn burned completely to the ground. So my brother started this GoFundMe page and hopes to raise funds for him because he doesn’t have any family support,” Jessie Ball told PAN Sunday.

Ball said the man asked that his name not be shared.

“We thought it would be a good way for the community to come together because there’s nothing left, the barn is completely down to the ground.”

Ball said firefighters have not yet told them the cause of the fire, but there were propane tanks inside the barn, “that’s why it kind of sounded like explosions.”

“The saddest part was that he had to watch everything burn. After it was all done, my brother and I went up there and we just saw this man in tears looking through the stuff – he couldn’t recover anything. We realized we had to do something to help him.

As of Monday morning, the GoFundMe page has raised $2,865 of a $25,000 goal.



About the Author: Aaron Hinks

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