Burnt out

By Kelly Yates
A HALLAM mother of five who lost everything in a house fire two weeks ago says she feels lucky her family wasn’t home at the time of the blaze.
Rebecca Derks told the News she left their Marjoram Close house at 8.35am on Thursday 22 October to take her children to kinder and school and returned at 9am to find the house on fire.
Police are investigating the fire, which is being treated as suspicious, and are calling for witnesses to come forward.
Ms Derks said she was still in shock about the house fire, which resulted in a damage bill of $200,000.
“It’s devastating to lose everything,” she said.
Ms Derks, who had been living in the house for almost two years, said the fire also destroyed Christmas presents she had purchased for her children, aged three, four, six, eight and 10.
She managed to recover a photo album from the ruined property a couple of days after the fire.
“It’s hard to lose the things that can’t be replaced like photos, cards and birthday presents,” Ms Derks said.
“I donated to the bushfire appeal not knowing soon after I would be needing some help. It’s a hard situation to be in. It doesn’t feel real,” she said.
The family also lost their dog and a cat in the fire. Their second cat, a grey and white unsexed male, is still missing.
Ms Derks praised the efforts of the local police and firefighters.
“Bunnings Warehouse at Fountain Gate have donated clothes for the kids and Fountain Gate Primary School, where the kids go, is holding a free dress day to raise some money for us,” she said.
Anyone with information about the fire is urged to call Detective Senior Constable Paul Stow at the Casey CIU on 9705 3111. If anyone has information about the family’s missing cat, call the News on 5945 0666.