Candace and Pieter Muller count themselves lucky to have escaped with their lives after an explosion in their neighbour’s garage jolted them out of their beds and sent them running from their burning home last week.
While Township firefighters “courageously rescued” all five of the couple’s cats from the flames and smoke, the Mullers lost the only home they’ve known for more than 30 years, said their son, Tobias Drayce Hart.
“Sadly, they have lost everything they built in the 31 years of living in their family home,” said Drayce Hart.
“I grew up in the house that burnt down.
“They are literally out of house and home as the building has since been deemed uninhabitable and currently unsafe to enter.”
The blast took place around 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 13 while the Mullers were sleeping.
Police believe there may have been a butane extraction site set up in the garage of the middle townhouse. Butane extraction is usually done to make hash oil.
Three homes were still burning when emergency responders arrived to the townhouse complex at 27125 31A Ave. Two men were found in the middle unit’s garage, suffering from severe burns, police said.
The two were taken to hospital, one via air ambulance — while one person in a neighbouring unit was taken to Langley Memorial Hospital suffering from smoke inhalation, said Township Deputy Fire Chief Bruce Ferguson.
“The centre unit is completely damaged through all three floors and the unit number 40 and unit number 42 have extensive damage on their third floor,” he said.
Langley Drug Section took over the investigation into the explosion, said RCMP Cpl. Holly Largy.
The current condition of the two men is not known.
It’s also not known if criminal charges are being pursued against them.
In the meantime, Pieter and Candace are staying with their other son, but will be looking for a home to rent while their burned out townhome gets rebuilt, he said.
“Because of how expensive rentals are, we’re hoping to find something being enough that I can go with them to help them out financially,” said Drayce Hart.
He has started a GoFundMe page “to help aid them with some much needed essentials as they get back on their feet,” he wrote.
The goal is to raise $3,000. Already a little over $1,000 has been raised, with many from the community of family, friends and neighbours making donations.