Montgomery residents face tough holiday season after fire destroys townhouses

Ava Berry was facing an "almost impossible" holiday season after losing her home to a fire earlier this week but things are looking up thanks to the generosity of Calgarians. 

The fire happened in a four-unit Montgomery townhouse Tuesday morning. 

Berry and her son, Daryl Noble, were two of the 11 people forced out of the complex in the 4500 block of Montgomery Avenue N.W. 

"I looked out my bedroom window and I saw flames shooting out of the carport," she said. "I was lucky to get out of there with my life."

As she figures out her next steps, Berry's focus now turns to the possessions she lost in the fire. 

She says one thing in particular stands out. 

"I just lost my son in March of this year, so it's been a real tragic year for me. I had his ashes in a necklace that was in there," she told CTV News. "I can't believe it's gone."

Berry says she's talking to Calgary Housing about a relocation to the city's southwest. 

Noble, whose name wasn't on the lease, says as of next week, he could be homeless. 

And the duo aren't the only tenants facing a tough recovery. 

Neighbours Spencer McGuire and Deia Ward-Viney say they had sentimental items inside their unit related to the birth of daughter Riley. 

"We had her birth tags from when she was a newborn and like, the little cap they put on her and, you know, photo albums, stuff that cannot be replaced," Ward-Viney said.

"Coming into the situation we were just trying to make ends meet, trying to pick up and build, and we did and then ... it got wiped out."

But as Christmas approaches, there is a small silver lining for both families. 

Two fundraising pages set up to help them get back on their feet financially have already exceeded their goals. 

"We're blessed," Ward-Viney said Friday. "I'm speechless, because I've never had such support from complete strangers."

Berry said she wouldn't "know what I would do without everyone's help."

"Everybody has just been so wonderful and they've been so kind and supportive and it just makes me cry," she said.