The family who lived in the light yellow house next door in the 19600-block of Wakefield Drive in 91原创 were good neighbours, Jessica Wenzoski recalled.
The husband and wife and their two near-adult children, a boy and a girl, were were renting the house, but they looked after it 鈥渓ike they owned it,鈥� Wenzoski told the 91原创 Advance Times.
鈥淭hey were friends,鈥� she related.
鈥淲e talked to them all the time.鈥�
Wenzoski does not recall any incidents involving police at the house.
鈥淭hey were very nice,鈥� she said.
She was shocked to hear that three bodies were discovered after fire ripped through the two-storey house on the weekend, and the case was under police investigation as a homicide.
READ MORE: Three confirmed dead in fatal 91原创 house fire
On Tuesday, she considered leaving flowers as a memorial at the site, but decided it would be better to wait until the police were done.
鈥淲e鈥檙e pretty sad about it.鈥�
Forensic investigators were still on the scene of the fire Wednesday, combing through the debris, and the street remained closed to all but local traffic.
Wenzoski, her husband Eric, and children Lana, 5, Dylan, 3 and Alyssa, 11 months, were all at home on Saturday, June 13 along with Eric鈥� grandmother Roberta Elder, 83, who lived in a downstairs suite, when a fire ripped through their neighbour鈥檚 home, spreading to their house.
It was late in the afternoon, around 5:30 p.m., and Jessica had just finished giving her youngest daughter a bath when she heard her husband yelling that the neighbour鈥檚 house was on fire.
鈥淭he whole sky was black because of the smoke,鈥� she recalled.
Jessica scooped up her daughter and ran for the street 鈥� barefoot, while Eric gathered up their other two children and alerted his grandmother to evacuate.
Neighbours on the street went into their houses to get clothes for the Wenzoskis.
鈥淚 was wearing someone else鈥檚 shoes and someone else鈥檚 jacket,鈥� Jessica recalled.
Everyone got out safe, except for the family pet, a tuxedo tabby named Memphis, who was later found unharmed by firefighters inside the house after the blaze was extinguished.
By the time the fire next door was out, it had also caused considerable damage to the Wenzoski home, severely charring the wall and the roof facing the yellow house.
That, combined with water damage from the fire hoses, will mean considerable work must be done before they can move back in.
鈥淭hey鈥檒l basically take the top off the house and rebuild it,鈥� Jessica described.
They鈥檝e been told it will be six to 12 months before they can move in.
Right now, they are staying with Eric鈥檚 mother in Surrey and looking for an affordable rental in 91原创 that can accommodate a family and a senior who needs a ground-level entrance without steps.
READ MORE: Neighbours rally behind family displaced by suspicious fire
They have insurance, and they also have the support of their neighbours, who have chipped in to buy necessities.
One also launched a GoFundMe campaign 鈥溾�� to tide them over until the insurance company processes their claim.
A grateful Jessica called the support 鈥渢ouching.鈥�
dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
