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Peanut Saves 2 From Town Farm Road Fire

[CREDIT: Desiree Fournier] Peanut, family dog, alerted her family to a Town Farm Road Fire that destroyed their home and all their belongings. A Gofundme has been started to help them as they recover.

[CREDIT: Desiree Fournier] Peanut, family dog, alerted her family to a Town Farm Road Fire that destroyed their home and all their belongings. A Gofundme has been started to help them as they recover.
[CREDIT: Desiree Fournier] Peanut, family dog, alerted her family to a Town Farm Road Fire that destroyed their home and all their belongings. A Gofundme has been started to help them as they recover.
COVENTRY, RI — At about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Raymond Fournier, 19, was asleep when the family dog, Peanut, let out an unusual bark at their home, waking him to a house filling with smoke in time to wake his mom, Desiree Fournier, 44, and escape the 1204 Town Farm Road fire that destroyed the house and everything they owned, including a car.

Fournier, who works full time as a mortician at Ocean State Veterinary Specialists in East Greenwich, is also a retired volunteer firefighter EMT at the Western Coventry Fire Department. She taught her son a thing or two.

“So my son knew what was happening. He ran in to get me up,” Desiree said. She checked the house, while Raymond checked the garage, finding the fire there.

She immediately called 911 and  evacuated her son and Peanut, along with their three other dogs. Peanut, a 7-year-old boxer, has been with them since birth, Desiree said. Peanut’s mom has since passed away.

“My first priority was my son and the four dogs, got them into my fiancé’s car. He drove up to the top of the driveway to the neighbors house with the dogs, and I stayed to try to save the house, but it didn’t happen,” Desiree said.

Fortunately, she said, her fiancee, Eric Levesque, and his dad, Alfred Levesque, 78, who owns the house, both full time wood workers, had already left for work. Her daughter, Brenna-Leigh Fournier, was also not in the house at the time.

Their two cats died in the fire, she said, and the family lost everything they owned. Until about two weeks ago, Desiree and Eric had been living in a two-bedroom apartment in Warwick. The family had recently moved in with Alfred, and while he did have insurance coverage, that will take time to get them help and they’re not sure if his insurance will cover their belongings.

A family friend has set up a GoFundme fundraising page to help them recover and survive until they’re back on their feet.

“We had only been in the house for two weeks. My fiancé grew up in the house,” Desiree said.

Town Farm Road Fire Gofundme Set up to aid family

The family is currently staying together at the Hampton Inn nearby with the help of the Red Cross. After three days, they’ll need to pay to stay there, Desiree said. A family friend has set up a GoFundme fundraising page to help them recover and survive until they’re back on their feet. So far, the page has raised about $1,800 of its $25,000 goal.

“Just before this tragedy struck, they had recently moved into their new home, excited to leave behind their cramped two-bedroom apartment that was over $2,000 a month, hoping for a fresh start. Now, they are left with nothing but the overwhelming stress of trying to rebuild their lives from the ground up,” the page reads. 
“With limited funds for hotels and food, they are facing an uncertain future. Any support you can offer, no matter how big or small, would be a lifeline for them during this incredibly difficult time. Your kindness and generosity will help them get back on their feet and begin the process of healing and rebuilding. Thank you from the bottom of their hearts.”
[CREDiT: Desiree Fournier] From left, Eric Levesque, Raymond Fournier and Deisree Fournier.
[CREDiT: Desiree Fournier] From left, Eric Levesque, Raymond Fournier and Deisree Fournier.
Desiree’s niece, Jesika Salisbury is collecting donations of food and clothing. She asked people who can donate to contact her through her Facebook page.
“I can take them if people want to message me I can meet up with them or they can drop them off to me and I can bring it to her at the hotel,” Salisbury said.
Desiree said she’s grateful for the help of Coventry Firefighters to put out the fire, working against tough odds.
“I worked with many of the firefighters that responded, including Chief [Frank] Brown for many years and the police officers that responded I knew most of them so they were very consoling and you know did the best they could to put the fire out,” Desiree said.  “Unfortunately, because we are in our Wooded area the response time took a little bit longer and there’s no hydrant, so they had to wait for the tanker truck for us to help put the fire out.”
There’s also some appreciation for Peanut’s alert warning. Desiree said she’s getting the good treats now.

 

 

Rob Borkowski
Author: Rob Borkowski

Rob has worked as reporter and editor for several publications, including The Kent County Daily Times and Coventry Courier, before working for Gatehouse in MA then moving home with Patch Media. Now he's publisher and editor of WarwickPost.com. Contact him at editor@warwickpost.com with tips, press releases, advertising inquiries, and concerns.

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