The lives of a family from Arras changed forever on Thursday morning. Emily Manfron and Guy Grenier were driving to work when they got a call from their daughter.
“One of our kids called us screaming that the house was on fire, so we rushed back home,” Grenier said.
There were six children in the house when the fire started at around 8:45 am, while three more had already left for school.
One daughter woke up in a panic after inhaling smoke. She warned the others, and they made it outside just in time.
“It’s hard not to cry when you think about it. You think about what could happen – how different the outcome would’ve been if there were five more minutes, or if one of my daughters hadn’t woken up,” Grenier said.
The family had seven cats and four dogs. All seven cats were killed in the fire, and a dog named Coco ran away during the chaos.
When fire crews arrived, it was already too late to save the house. Flames were bursting out of windows, while the children were waiting outside in the cold in their pyjamas.
“They went to hospital for smoke inhalation, but at the end of the day they’re okay – they’re alive,” Grenier explained, adding that six family members were taken to hospital for smoke inhalation and frostbite.
With their home being completely destroyed, the city has put the family in a hotel until Sunday.
Some neighbours gave the family extra clothing, as nothing could be saved from the home. The couple say they are unsure what to do next.
“Once the initial shock wore off and we knew the kids were okay, it became: Where do we start now?” Manfron said.
The family is looking to get back to a sense of normal after the devastating experience. “This was our home, and it’s gone. You never think this is going to happen to you,” Grenier said.
A GoFundMe page has been started to help the family rebuild what was a lifetime of memories lost. The couple is also asking anyone who may have found Coco to contact them.
