A mother of two has spoken of her “devastating” loss as she returned to her Mount Austin home that was burnt inside on Friday night.
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The only thing getting Courtney Isabel Capes through her adversity has been the “overwhelming” generosity she has received from members of the community.
“The community has been very generous and I’m overwhelmed with how many people want to help or who have already helped,” she said.
“Some people and businesses, like Cotmakers, have bought clothes and toys for my children and also clothes for me.
“Nothing was salvageable in the house and people have said that when I get re-homed, they’re going to help me put it all back together again.”
Turvey Park Fire Station crew members were called to the Department of Housing home, located on Hunter Street in Mount Austin, on Friday evening.
The external structure of the home remains intact but city police have confirmed the inside of the house has become a shell.
No one was injured, including Ms Cape’s dog, who was left at the property on Friday night. He is now in a friend’s care.
Ms Capes and her friend, Terry Eggleton, spoke of the news that came early Saturday morning after their one-night camping trip, which was cut short.
“We packed up and locked our house and made sure our back door was locked and set up camp in Oura,” she said.
“My phone was dead at 9pm and Terry had a missed call from a private number at about 11pm, but then they called him again at 1am and it was the police.
“He handed the phone to me and they told me there’s been a fire and said it’s pretty bad and I needed to get home straight away.”
Ms Capes’ two children, a four-month-old daughter and two-year-old son, were spending Friday at their grandparents’ home and she expressed her sadness that they no longer “have a home to go to”.
“The first thing I saw was police tape around the house and I wasn’t even allowed to go inside because of the forensics being conducted,” she said.
“I’m not feeling great, I’m feeling pretty sick and devastated. I’m still waiting to hear back from the authorities but police believe it was deliberately lit.”
Police are still investigating the cause of the fire. However, not all community members have been generous and Ms Capes said she saw her neighbour looting her home for items.
“I found one of my neighbour’s looking around my yard and I was gobsmacked and asked him, ‘haven’t I lost enough already?’,” she said.
