A Greek family in Melbourne is grappling with the aftermath of a devastating fire that destroyed their home, caused by Christmas tree decorations.
The fire gutted their Glen Waverley townhouse on Sunday night, forcing the family of four – George, Roula, and their two daughters – to lose everything except the clothes on their backs.
The couple had lived in the home for 24 years.
George, who was home with their daughters whilst Roula was at work, noticed the Christmas tree on fire after the smoke alarm went off.
While attempting to save the house, he suffered burns to his feet and arm, but managed to get his daughters to safety.
The fire caused significant damage to neighbouring homes and took 38 firefighters one hour to control. The townhouse will have to be demolished.
Family friend Maria Bulovic has launched a GoFundMe campaign to help the family rebuild their lives. As of Wednesday, December 25 the GoFundMe appeal had raised over $19,000 of its $50,000 target.
Source: The Australian
