the essentials Abélia and Bastien, two young residents of Blanquefort-sur-Briolance in the north of Lot-et-Garonne, saw their house go up in smoke on Sunday evening. A prize pool has been opened.
A dramatic fire occurred late Sunday afternoon. A house and a car went up in smoke. They belonged to a young couple, Abélia and Bastien, who had settled on this land in Blanquefort-sur-Briolance, a small village in the north of Lot-et-Garonne on the edge of the Dordogne.
Everything happened very quickly. Eric Lacoste, Bastien’s father, says he accompanied his son hunting a few hours before the tragedy: “We were returning from an eventful wild boar hunt. We had to take dogs to the veterinarian.” The practitioner is based in Villenfranche-du-Périgord, just 15 kilometers from their home
After dropping off three dogs for treatment, Bastien returned home early in the afternoon, where he found his partner. One gray and cold Sunday in November, the two young people logically light the wood stove in their home. “At the end of the afternoon, they received a phone call to come pick up the dogs. Before leaving for Villefranche, they put wood in the stove” continues the father. This is where everything comes into play.
“Everything burned in half an hour”
Back at home with the dogs, they can only see the damage. “Everything burned in half an hour,” breathes Eric Lacoste. Abélia and Bastien are distraught. Because in addition to the house and the car being ravaged by the flames, their animals which were inside perished in this fire.
In this ordeal, they can count on the support of their families, their friends and also the community of AS Capelaine, the Lacapelle-Biron rugby club where Bastien plays. An online prize pool has been specially created to help them. “A life gone into the flames, taking their animals with them. Even if we know that it will never make up for the disappearance of their little loved ones, through this fund, we are appealing for your generosity to help them rebuild. This will allow them to buy the most urgent essentials and thus enable them to get through this ordeal with your support” wrote the couple’s friends at the launch of this fundraiser. Nearly 3,000 euros have already been raised. Solidarity is not an empty word in Haut-Agenais.
What challenges have you faced while trying to rebuild your lives after the fire?
Interview with Abélia and Bastien:
Website Editor: Can you tell us about the circumstances leading up to the fire that destroyed your house and car?
Abélia: Sure, we had just returned from hunting and had started a fire in the wood stove to warm up the house. We received a call to pick up some dogs, and when we were returning, we noticed the smoke coming from the house. By the time we realized what was happening, it was too late.
Bastien: Yes, it all happened very quickly. We tried to get inside the house to rescue any animals or valuables, but the smoke and flames were too intense. We were devastated to see our home and car burned down, but our biggest loss was our beloved pets that were in the house at the time.
Website Editor: Can you describe the impact of losing your home and pets in such a way?
Abélia: It’s been really tough. We’ve lost everything we owned, but losing our pets has been the hardest part. They were like family to us, and they meant so much to us. We are still coming to terms with the loss and are grateful for the support we’ve received from our families, friends, and the community.
Bastien: Absolutely. We feel extremely lucky that no one was injured in the fire, but the loss of our pets has been heartbreaking. We’ve tried to stay positive and focus on the support we’ve received, which has helped us get through this difficult time.
Website Editor: How did the community around you rally to support you during this challenging time?
Abélia: The support we received has been overwhelming. Our friends and neighbors have been incredibly caring and helpful. Even people we didn’t know came forward to offer their support. An online fundraiser was started to help us get back on our feet, and it’s been really encouraging to see how many people have contributed.
Bastien: Yes, it’s been amazing to see the kindness of strangers. We’re very grateful for the donations we’ve received so far, which will help us purchase essential items while we rebuild our lives. We’re also thankful for the love and support from our loved ones,
