Before the floods, a devastating fire displaced a large family from its home on Tussie Road between Crofton and Chemainus.

Fire ripped through the top floor of a home owned by Dora and Joanna Edwards, who each have six kids and are also looking after their younger sister鈥檚 five children.

鈥淓veryone got out OK,鈥� said Ieashia James, who has started a page for the family. The fund has raised $1,670 as of Thursday afternoon.

Crews from the Crofton and Chemainus departments managed to extinguish burning contents within a room at the residence just after 5:30 p.m. last Friday.

Crofton and Chemainus crews were then dispatched again around 1:15 a.m. to a fire at the same residence that was fully involved when they arrived.

鈥淚ncident commanders on scene called for a second alarm for additional resources from Maple Bay and South End halls,鈥� noted Martin Drakeley, North Cowichan Fire Department chief. 鈥淭hat investigation was handed over to the RCMP as it is on federal lands and we cannot comment further.鈥�

鈥淢ost of the top floor caught fire,鈥� said James. 鈥淚t鈥檚 pretty bad.鈥�

She added it鈥檚 not known what caused the fire.

Even though the entire family escaped unharmed, they might have been forced to flee their home Sunday night or Monday morning, as flood waters engulfed the area.

鈥淲e are very grateful that everyone made it out safely, now I would like to get together a little bit for their essential needs for the days to come,鈥� noted James. 鈥淭his family has always been a very close family, they鈥檝e always been side-by-side.鈥�

The family initially went to the Frank Jameson Community Centre in Ladysmith and then was housed at the Best Western Plus Chemainus Inn for one night. They have since been relocated to small apartments above the Salish Sea Market in Chemainus.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e not sure how long they鈥檙e able to stay there,鈥� said James.

She knows the family well, as her partner Charlie Edwards is from the Tussie Road area as well. He鈥檚 also a cousin to Dora and Joanna and 鈥渢hey鈥檙e like his sisters,鈥� James noted.

鈥淔rom what I gathered from the girls, they were kind of in disbelief and shock. You could see the worry on their faces. They didn鈥檛 want to be separated.鈥�

James started out doing a deck of cards draw to raise money, but then went to the GoFundMe and it鈥檚 just started to gain momentum to help the family.

鈥淭he GoFundMe is the best route because I just kept sharing everywhere,鈥� she added.

People can help by going to the GoFundMe page or messaging James under Rha-anne Sylvester on Facebook. Tim Joseph Sr. is also accepting clothing donations for the family at 447 Jubilee St. in Duncan.

鈥淚t鈥檚 all for the family and the kids especially,鈥� said James. 鈥淣ot being home will be a big adjustment for them. We want people to know how appreciative we were that people were still donating even though the floods were still going on.鈥�