A family of seven is appealing to the community for help after their house burned Monday morning on Turner Road in Parksville.

Leslie Vickers and Bob Martin say they've been left with nothing, as the fire destroyed all of their and their young children's belongings. The house was a rental property and the family did not have insurance on its contents.

"Now, I have nowhere," Vickers said. "I'm not sure what I'm going to do in three days."

The family was given three days' accommodation at the Skylite Hotel through local emergency social services. They've also been to the Society of Organized Services and other agencies for help — but they say it won't cover all the basics such as clothes — including finding a new place to live.

"We have to pull together as family now," said Martin.

Just after 9 a.m. Monday morning, Vickers' daughter opened a bedroom door and flame and smoke hit her and a toddler. She was able to get away, her mom said, and alert others in the house. Both Vickers and Martin had left the house earlier, leading some witnesses at the time to conclude there was no one at home at the time.

Dan Broadbent, there visiting his girlfriend, was sleeping in the home at the time. He said he was jolted awake by screams and saw smoke.

"We all just went to the hall and ran out," he said. "It was a pretty scary way to wake up."

The fire department was called immediately, he said.

Vickers said she got a call about the fire not long after leaving the house. She and the family, seven people in all, went to a neighbour's house.

"We'd been there for 14 months," she said. "Now all we want is to be home."

She praises the firefighters for their hard work, yet are now facing an uncertain future.

The family is asking for the community's help. They ask anyone in a position to help to call 250-927-3462.