Swift Current mom tells of escape from massive house fire

A woman from Swift Current, Sask., whose house was destroyed by fire on Friday says the support from the community has been "incredible."

While Lyris Davis and her daughter were sleeping on Friday, their house caught fire.

Some neighbours she calls her heroes helped get them outside safely.

She awoke to one man holding the dog, a woman banging on their doors and people yelling at her to get out. 

"Your house is on fire, you guys gotta get out," Davis told CBC's Morning Edition host Sheila Coles. "We followed them down the stairs and out the garage, and four minutes later the entire house was engulfed in flames."

The house was destroyed. It was a windy evening and the flames spread to two neighbouring homes.

Davis said she didn't have time to take anything, but she's happy nobody was hurt in the fire. 

She said fire investigators believe it may have started from a spark from a cigarette. 

Raised more than $25,000

Friends of hers started an online fundraiser, and by Monday morning it had raised more than $25,000.

Davis said she went to buy shoes for her daughter — because she left the house without them — she realized she had no cards or cash after the fire.

That's when she met another mother in the store.

"She said, 'Your daughter doesn't even have shoes.' And she gave us a $50 bill," Davis explained. 

"You know, the support that we've received from the community is unbelievable."

Of the other two houses affected, one received minimal damaged while the other was extensively damaged. 

A fundraiser for that neighbour has also raised upwards of $11,000.