Fire victims overwhelmed by help

An alert son and a generous West Coast community has kept a family united after a fire destroyed their home.

A week ago, Annita Gibbs and Richard Barlow went to work like any other day. Four of their teenage and young adult children were asleep after staying up to watch a TV series.

Just before 10am their youngest son, Douglas, 15, woke to the fire alarms ‘‘going off’’, Gibbs said.

‘‘He could see smoke and he was yelling to wake his siblings,’’ she said. ‘‘He saw red. He made sure they all got out.’’

The Fire Service was phoned about 9.50am. The house was ‘‘well ablaze’’ when the first crew arrived to the Brittan St property, a Fire Service spokesman said.

The mother of five watched the house her children lived in since they ‘‘were babies’’ burn, despite firefighters’ efforts.

Gibbs wondered if the family would have a roof over their heads that night.

‘‘You’ve lived there all your life and you wonder ‘what now?’ or ‘what do we do?’,’’ she said.

The response from the Hokitika community ‘‘overwhelmed’’ the family. ‘‘Jennifer Keogan and her husband, Peter, have a holiday house. She came to the scene and handed us the keys that morning,’’ she said. ‘‘We’re all feeling so grateful. Our children are safe. We didn’t have to be split and we’re still connected.’’

Over the next few days, people offered help with groceries, clothing and furniture. Gibbs said her family was ‘‘blessed’’. ‘‘There have been individuals who have relieved so much stress on our shoulders,’’ she said. ‘‘It’s been amazing. We’re not used to it.

‘‘On behalf of me and my partner, Richard Barlow, we would like to thank our family, friends and all the people in the beautiful Westland town community of Hokitika. It’s such a blessing to be cared for.’’

Gibbs praised the firefighters for looking out for the safety her children.

‘‘We thank them for everything they did that day,’’ she said.