Fire devastates Garson roommates

When Ryan Amos lost everything he owned in a fire Tuesday afternoon, his older sister decided to start a GoFundMe page to help him get back on his feet.

Amos lived in a Garson home with a roommate – also a young man – and neither of them had insured their belongings.

“My brother left to go to Tim Horton's, and upon his return the whole house was engulfed,” said Jennifer O'Byrn, Amos' sister.
O'Byrn said her brother is lucky to have the support of family and friends, and is staying with her until he can find a new place to live.

“We're very thankful a lot of people have helped us out to help us out and give us directions to resources where we can find help,” she said.

While Amos and his roommate were not home during the fire, they each had cats who were in the house at the time.

Amos' cat Fuzzy was able to escape through an open window on the upper level of the building, but his roommate's cat George was locked in a room, and could not escape.

Amos' roommate, who asked not to be identified, said he was upset no one tried to rescue his cat.

O'Byrn said her brother tried to enter the home to get the cats when he returned from Tim Horton's, but a neighbour stopped him from going in.

Greater Sudbury Fire Service Platoon Chief George Lalonde said it could be difficult to determine the cause of the fire because the damage to the house was so extensive.