DAVIDSON - The town of Davidson has been left reeling from the horrific loss of five people in a home on Ottawa Street on Sunday, February 18.
Firefighters were called to the scene when the home was found to be engulfed in flames, with rescue workers pulling two senior adults, Michael and Pauline Woodcock, out of the blaze and sending them to hospital, where they were pronounced dead.
The discovery of the bodies of three children in the blaze, later identified as Michael and Pauline's great-grandchildren Andrew, William and George, sent further shockwaves not only around the community area but throughout the province as residents from all over Saskatchewan shared in the grief of the affected family members.
The fire itself has been deemed non-suspicious by police, while the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency has noted that the cause is still under investigation.
While more tests and assessments will need to be completed in order to confirm the cause of death for the five family members, there is a belief that CO poisoning was a factor.
Visiting the site of the blaze, rows of stuffed animals could be seen lining the ground on the perimeter of the property, highlighting the young age of three of the victims.
In addition to the local Affinity Credit Union in Davidson accepting donations for the family, a GoFundMe crowdfunding campaign was quickly launched in support of the family, namely Kristyne (Woodcock) Klassen, who lost both of her grandparents and her three children. That campaign so far has raised just under $57,000, and anyone interested in contributing can do so at the following link: gofundme.com/f/family-lost-in-house-tragic-house-fire.