In a harrowing incident on the northern Gold Coast, Queensland paramedic Shani was alarmed to receive a distressing call during her night shift: her family home was engulfed in flames while her husband Jared and their three young daughters—Bonnie, Isobel, and Piper—were sleeping inside. Luckily, Jared awakened just in time to rescue the children, who were unaware of the devastation unfolding around them.
Jared described the terrifying experience, recalling that he was startled awake by a loud explosion that felt like it shook their house. “It sounded like bombs were dropping from the sky,” he said, recounting the chaos of rushing into the children’s room to save them. They barely made it outside before the entire structure was consumed by fire.
The family’s home and all its belongings were destroyed, leaving them with nothing but the clothes they were wearing. The suspected cause of the blaze was a battery issue with their electric vehicle, which was parked in the garage and quickly spread throughout the house, obliterating treasured possessions, including family heirlooms from Jared’s late father.
In the aftermath of this devastating event, friends and colleagues have rallied to support the family, providing clothing and toys for the girls. They have also secured temporary accommodation for three weeks, but the family is urgently seeking a more permanent place to live. Shani expressed her desire to stabilise their lives for the sake of the children, saying that finding a new home is their top priority to restore some normalcy.
Despite their situation, Shani and Jared have expressed reluctance in asking for help. However, Shani’s colleagues have initiated a fundraiser to aid the family as they strive to rebuild their lives from scratch. “It’s overwhelming; we don’t even know what we need right now,” Shani admitted, reflecting on the enormity of their loss.
Jared echoed this sentiment, expressing the difficulties of navigating their emotions as they process the events. He emphasised the need for assistance as they face an uncertain future, remarking on how challenging it is for them—typically self-reliant—to reach out for support during such a trying time.
For those wishing to assist the family in their recovery, a fundraising page has been set up to facilitate community contributions to help them get back on their feet.