The Van Pelt family were given some financial support by local charitable group Team HOPE after their house fire. The family are pictured with Donna Millar (far left) and Jono Erwood (far right).
The Van Pelt family were given some financial support by local charitable group Team HOPE after their house fire. The family are pictured with Donna Millar (far left) and Jono Erwood (far right).
While a fire has destroyed much of the Van Pelt family home, they say the support of the community is getting them through the worst of it.
On Saturday, July 27, Richard and Kelley Van Pelt, and their children Coby, 13, and Brody, 8, were all in bed, when Kelleyheard a loud bang.
"At first I didn't think much of it, but then a second bag came, and I just had a feeling something was wrong. I went down the corridor and saw flames in the kitchen."
As Kelley yelled for Richard and he ran to get a fire extinguisher, the smoke alarms started sounding, waking Brody up.
"I heard the alarm, I didn't know what was happening at first, but I got up real quick.
Coby hadn't been asleep, but was in bed, and he also got up and the family got outside quickly.
"I grabbed one of the cats as well who was sleeping on Brody's bed, so I grabbed the cat and Brody," says Kelley, who adds all four of the family pets got out safely in the end.
"Our two dogs actually have their own room in the house, we were outside and realised they were still in there, so Coby jumped over the wall and got them out."
Richard tried to extinguish the fire with fire extinguishers he had in the garage, but Kelley says they were powerless against the speed and strength of the fire.
"He sprayed one on to the flames, and they went down for just seconds, then they came back up as though it was nothing,"
The family have since learned the fire started when a cupboard door fell down onto the toaster handle, turning and locking it on.
"The flames went up the cupboard then got into the wall cavity quickly, which is what caused a lot of the damage."
Both boys have been amazingly stoic through the past few days, despite the fire ruining much their stuff.
It had been Brody's birthday that day, and he proudly put all his birthday presents on display on a table in the dining room before bed. The fire has ruined most of them.
Coby is an aspiring rap musician and has spent the past few years building up his own studio in the house, selling his XBox to buy the expensive gear needed. Much of that has also been either ruined or smoke damaged from the fire.
The Van Pelt family home was destroyed by the fire.
While they have insurance, the process is a long one, and meanwhile the family say they are fortunate to live somewhere like Stratford.
"The community has just been amazing in response. Everyone has been so kind. People have been calling us, offering us help, it really makes me feel proud to live here actually."
Both the boys' schools have been great, says Kelley, and Brody is very proud his class have organised a bake sale for this Friday to support them.
"That's been really good, seeing him so proud of his classmates and friends, and feeling supported by them."
The family are currently living in a rental house with furniture all loaned from the Stratford Eltham Rugby Sports Club as they work out what will happen to the home they had owned for more than 10 years.
On Friday evening, members of Team HOPE visited the family, to give them some vouchers to help them get the essentials as they piece their lives back together.
"We're all about helping people in our community, and we are pleased to be able to give you support right now. We don't get grants or anything, everything we do is funded by our own fundraising efforts, and the support of the people in the community."
Team HOPE member Jono Erwood says while the main thing was that everyone was safe, he was glad the charitable group could help the Van Pelt family with the vouchers.
"This isn't a one-off, we are here to continue to help them as they move forward and find out what they need and what we can do to help them further."
