How to help the victims of the Lynn Valley apartment fire

Lynn Valley is rallying to support those affected by Monday’s apartment fire that claimed the lives of two people and sent 16 others to hospital.

Seventeen properties were destroyed, with about 70 people permanently displaced after fire ripped through the Mountain Village Garden Apartments housing complex just after 2:30 a.m. Narges Casnajad and her seven-yearold son, Sepehr, died after getting trapped inside one of the burning buildings.

North Shore Emergency Management is putting up displaced families in hotels.

“The first choice is to stay with friends and family. And if they don’t have people to stay with, we provide hotel accommodation up to three days,” said North Shore Emergency Management director Fiona Dercole, adding that the organization is also providing emotional support services..

Donations to help the victims can be made at Blueshore Financial Lynn Valley under the account name Fire Relief 93081553. The Lynn Valley Lions Club, the service group that set up the account, says more than $25,000 had been raised as of Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile, a GoFundMe account, established by former Mountain Village resident Jacqueline Diamond, has raised nearly $10,000 toward a goal of $300,000.

“We can come together as a community to help these families affected by this tragedy,” Diamond wrote. “My heart goes out to all involved and especially for the family that lost their mother and child. Narges and Sepehr were beautiful souls.”

The Lions Club will also be manning a donation drop-off site during Lynn Valley Days on Saturday, 1 to 5 p.m., near the beer gardens in Lynn Valley Park. The Lions are hoping to establish a more permanent drop-off site at the Lynn Valley Centre on Monday.

More information on how you can help is available on the Lynn Valley Apartment Fire Donations and Support Facebook page. sbrown@postmedia.com twitter.com/browniescott