Fundraiser for family who lost home in Old Town fire

An online fundraiser has launched to help the couple whose home burned down near Yellowknife’s Pilots’ Monument on Tuesday.

Jeremy Emerson and Roberta Hickey were not hurt in the fire. Their dog, Bowie, is also reported to be safe.

Their home, set into the rocks beyond Pilots’ Monument at the side of Ingraham Drive, burned late on Tuesday afternoon. Sixteen firefighters needed three hours to put out the fire.

“They’re going to be displaced for the foreseeable future without access to their own space and things,” read a webpage set up for the couple at online fundraising site GoFundMe.

“These folks help people like it’s going out of style. Let’s return the favour.”

The fundraiser initially aims to raise $5,000. Almost $1,000 of that had been raised in less than half an hour by 12:45pm on Wednesday.