Yesterday morning The Lismore App reported on the house fire which on Monday night destroyed the new, safe, flood-free home of a young and well-loved Lismore family.

Image: Their new flood-safe home after a blaze engulfed the building

Eli had already lost everything twice, to the 14 metre floods that swept through Lismore earlier this year. You can read more about that here: House Fire destroys flood affected Lismore family's new home, community rallies.

From the Lismore App readers and some social media call-outs by the community, Eli, Jess and Jensen have received a lot of wonderful support already, though ongoing support will no doubt, be required for days and months to come.

Image: Their home was destroyed, and sadly their beloved cats didn't make it out.

Some generous donations such as that from Pepe from 560 Farms, a $300 donation with a message for Eli and his family to "stay strong, don't give up, there is a community behind you", hundreds of dollars worth of stock from Kids Nest on Molesworth Street, Lismore, when Kerrie Stimpson arranged to buy Jensen a $100 voucher, which he was given on top of the generous donation by Kids Nest, to ensure he has a range of sensory-supportive toys and fidgets. By Midday there were bed frames and a mattress, plus bedding from Mel James from Infused Sound Healing who has also been instrumental in organising and storing donations for the flood affected for the past 8 months.

Two that melted our hearts here at The Lismore App were from flood affected children from two different local families, both under 10, by Stella and Fox for Jensen.

Stella donated a bucket of the one thing she saved from her flooded home, her precious LEGO, ensuring a firefighter car kit and firefighter was included to help with processing through play, and Fox who donated a special hand-knitted fox toy who was very special to him. The fox was made and donated specially by a local artist with love for him after the floods.

Petbarn also donated lifesaving supplies for Jess' turtle who miraculously survived, though very sadly we report, her two cats were found in the home, deceased. Jess and Eli are mourning this loss greatly, though were very grateful for their lives and their dogs and turtle, after what has undoubtedly been a harrowing and traumatic experience for them all.

As of 7:30pm last night 47 people had donated a whopping $5,356 in under 12hrs of their fundraiser having been created by Rebecca Ryan from Lismore's HeART Space. The link to donate to that can be found here.

Image: Local Lismore Mum who said she was so concerned when she saw smoke all the way from Girards Hill on Halloween, with Fox's donated fox toy for Jensen

Goonellabah and Lismore NSW Fire and Rescue brigades, along with their 4 trucks were dispatched with a large number of personnel who had been on call on Monday night, and while the blaze's cause may not be known, an important message for the community, coming from NSW Fire and Rescue Superintendent and spokesperson Adam Dewberry "this year alone, there have been 3000 house fires, with over 280 injuries, some critical and some which will result in lifelong treatment and loss of ability in some cases; all of which" he says, "could have been prevented, through the simple use of new (under 10 years old) and maintained fire alarms, one in each section of the home, and awareness from the community to never leave cooking unattended, and to never attempt to put out a cooking fire, with water, as it will only exacerbate it."

Adam gave the strong message, one he hopes the community will listen to and take on board "prepare early, get your fire alarms, ensure they are maintained, landlords MUST provide a new fire alarms and ensure a capable person maintains this with a check and battery replacement each year, and ensure (if you are the homeowner) that you maintain your own, annually as well.

Install fire blankets in the kitchen and extinguishers in the home, and never leave cooking or heaters, unattended.