A fundraiser has been launched for a family of six left “traumatised” after an arson attack left their apartment destroyed.
Katie Chalk and Jordan Wade, along with their four children aged seven, three, two and one, had their lives turned upside down when they awoke to alarms in the early hours of Sunday to find their Dublin apartment was on fire, forcing them to flee.
Gardaí and emergency services, including members of Dublin Fire Brigade, were rushed to the scene of the blaze on Sunday morning, which is believed to have been a case of mistaken identity.
Officers confirmed that six people were brought to hospital for medical assessment, including a juvenile, for treatment of injuries believed to be non-life threatening at this time.
“Their home and belongings have been devastated — clothes, shoes, furniture, toys, baby items and essentials are now smoke-damaged and/or burned, leaving the family with very little that is safe to use,” reads the GoFundMe page.
“All of their key household items have been affected, including beds and mattresses, couches/sofas, tables, wardrobes, and other furniture, as well as essential day-to-day items. One of the children has suffered burn injuries, and Jordan has also sustained burns. One of the children has severe autism, and the entire family is understandably traumatised.
Their home was destroyed in the fire (Image: GoFundMe)
“Given the extent of the damage and the fact they were already living in severe overcrowding (a one-bedroom flat with four small children, including disability needs), this family will now need to be rehoused, and they will need help to set up a new home when suitable accommodation is secured. We are raising funds to support them through the immediate emergency and to help them rebuild once they are rehoused.”
They added: “Any donation — no matter how small — or even a share helps enormously. Thank you for supporting Katie, Jordan and the children through this.”
The family’s home and belongings have been wrecked
Gardaí confirmed that investigations are ongoing following the fire. A spokesperson told the Irish Mirror: “Gardaí and emergency services attended the scene of criminal damage by fire at a domestic residence in Dublin 8 on Sunday, 8 February, at approximately 2:40am. The fire was extinguished. The scene has undergone a technical examination.
“Six people were conveyed to hospital for medical assessment, including a juvenile, for treatment of injuries believed to be non-life threatening at this time. Investigations are ongoing.”
So far, €9,872 has been raised out of the €12,000 target. To donate to the GoFundMe, click here.
Want to see more of the stories from the Irish Mirror? Making us your preferred source on Google means you’ll get more of our exclusives, top stories and must-read content straight away. To add Irish Mirror as a preferred source, simply click here