‘We lost everything.’ El Cerrito couple asks for help after devastating home blaze

(KRON) — “Hi, our family of 3 with a pup is reaching out with a heavy heart.”

An El Cerrito couple with a 7-month-old baby and two-year-old dog is reaching out to the public for help to rebuild their lives after a weekend blaze destroyed their home.

The El-Cerrito Kensington Fire Department said the Sunday fire at the Civic Plaza Apartments started on the first-floor balcony before flames shot up the building’s exterior and into the attic. Multiple fire crews responded to the scene on the 10990 block of San Pablo Avenue, but the fire gutted the residence, as shown in photos below.

The Kensington Police Department said the apartments are located right behind its police station and confirmed the blaze forced a temporary closure of its police station.

On their GoFundMe page titled “Fire Took Our Home: Help Us Start Over,” the newborn parents, Sudha and Asish, said their family was fortunately unharmed in the incident but that “we lost everything. Baby essentials, clothes, furniture, basic household items — it’s all gone.”

The origin and cause of the fire has not yet been determined. The couple said any support, big or small, is welcome as they restart from scratch.

“I had just started working last month, trying to get back on my feet postpartum since my husband doesn’t have stable job,” reads the post. “And now, we’re facing this unexpected and traumatic loss. It’s not just the physical things, it’s the emotional toll of losing the space we called home.”

As of this writing, the GoFundMe has raised more than $2,000 out of a $15,000 goal.