(Photo credit: Kent Simmonds).

By Stephanie Swensrude

Westsyde fire

Westsyde couple overwhelmed with kindness following mobile home fire

Feb 18, 2022 | 4:11 PM

KAMLOOPS — Evan Robinson’s beloved hot rod was torched in a Wednesday (Feb. 16) morning fire at Warrens Mobile Home Park. The man who sold Robinson the car heard about the tragedy.

“He reached out to me and we went out for coffee and when we left they gave us this stuff,” said Robinson, referring to a few bags of donated clothes and toiletries.

That was just the beginning for Robinson and his wife, Francine. Seniors living in Berwick on the Park pooled some money for a donation. Westsyde residents pitched in body wash and chocolates.

Robinson said the donations from friends, family and strangers have changed his outlook on life.

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“I’m not normally great around people, but this has kinda changed that.”

Currently, it’s too dangerous to enter the home and search for personal items. The couple hopes to find some precious keepsakes when they search. The future is uncertain for the Robinsons.

“What’s on the horizon? To be honest with you I don’t know,” Evan said.

Though the couple says they know the identity of the person who set the fire, Kamloops RCMP haven’t identified a suspect. Officers are asking Westsyde-area residents to review dashcam and doorbell-camera footage from Wednesday morning.

“The suspect does have what appears to be a jacket over his backpack,” said Cst. Crystal Evelyn. “Maybe you saw someone wearing that jacket, sometimes people can change their clothes.”

(Photo credit: Kamloops RCMP).

The suspect is described as following:

• White man
• Pushing a dark-coloured mountain bike
• Wearing a light-coloured mask, dark clothing and a backpack covered by a blue and beige/grey jacket

Francine’s daughter has set up a GoFundMe, with more than $4,000 in donations so far. The couple says that will go a long way as they rebuild from nothing.

“I don’t know how we’re gonna say thank you to everyone that’s done this. Because I want to go and talk to these people and tell them how grateful we are. Because it means so much,” said Evan.

“It means so much, ’cause we have nothing,” said Francine.