Dagenais: Family Of Ten Left Homeless

While working on the family tree, going thru old photos and memorabilia. I found the following newspapers article from my mother's (Linda Marie "Dagenais" Dixon) side of the family. About a fire that left the Dagenais Family homeless. Read the newspaper articles for more.



Newspaper Article 1



Newspaper Article 2

Transcription of text in the document (Family Of Ten Left Homeless):    Mr. and Mrs. Rodger Dagenais and their eight children were left homeless Thursday as a result of a fire which gutted their home at 526 Craig St., Pembroke.    

The blaze broke out while Mrs. Dagenais was downtown shopping with her three youngest children. The five remaining children were all in school. Mr. Dagenais is employed with a construction company in Toronto and is working presently in Welland, Ont. He is unable to get home until Saturday morning.   

 The contents of the Dagenais home were destroyed and the family is left with only the clothing they were wearing. The contents were only partly covered by insurance.

The fire broke out when an electric heater short-circuited in the downstairs of the two-story frame house. The house is owned by the Caisse Populaire Ste. Jean Baptiste in Pembroke. Firemen were able to confine the fire to the inside of the house but fire, smoke and water damage was heavy. Firemen estimate the total damage to be in the neighborhood of $4,000.

NEIGHBORS SPOTTED FIRE

The alarm was turned in when a neighbor spotted flames leaping from the corner of the roof and phoned the Pembroke Fire Department. Friends and neighbors tried in vain to rescue some of the Dagenais belongings. The Dagenais children have all been placed in the homes of relatives of the Dagenais.

Frank Lynch, speaking for the Pembroke welfare council, said today there had been an excellent public response to the appeals for help for the burned-out family, but they still needed a place to live, and some cash was needed for temporary rent and expenses.

"They need accommodation, but it isn't easy to find a place with room for eight children," Mr. Lynch said. "We have looked at the number of small places, but none was suitable. We would appreciate hearing from anyone with a larger dwelling."

Cash donations can be made at the Bank of Nova Scotia and all other donations at the rear of the Town Hall.

Mr. Lynch said donations of clothing, mattresses and bedding has been received, with Doran's and Zeller's store cooperating in the outfitting the children this morning. 

Transcription of text in the document (Card Of Thanks):    Card Of Thanks DAGENAIS - We wish to express our sincere thanks to all the wonderful people who came to our aid at the time of our fire. Special thanks to Mr. Frank Lynch, and to the merchants of Pembroke who were so kind to us. - Mr. and Mrs. Roger Dagenais and family