Image: Mike Vanden Bosch / Pattison Media / A dryer caught fire at a home on Spruce Street in Cultus Lake on Easter Sunday, destroying the home and leaving a single mother of two boys homeless. A GoFundMe has been started by Ainsley Murdock to assist the family. 

By Mike Vanden Bosch

Weekend fire in Cultus Lake

Single mom of two boys left homeless after weekend fire in Cultus Lake

Apr 2, 2024 | 5:50 AM

CULTUS LAKE — A single mom and her two boys ages 10 and 3 have been left homeless after their dryer caught fire and led to a structure fire at her home Sunday (Mar. 31), destroying their residence on Spruce Street in Cultus Lake.

According to information from a GoFundMe started by local resident Ainsley Murdock, Serena and her boys, Lynden and Theo, lost everything when the home’s dryer caught fire and spread throughout the home within minutes at around 4:30 p.m. on Easter Sunday.

The Chilliwack Fire Department was paged to assist with mutual aid during Sunday’s fire.

“Hello everyone, my name’s Ainsley, a neighbour of Serena’s, and I’m creating this in hopes to help her and her sons get some stability,” the GoFundMe from Murdock stated. “Today, Easter Sunday, at 4:30 Serena’s dryer caught fire and within minutes, she lost everything. She was able to get her family and her bunny (Teddy) to safety but unfortunately, has been left homeless.”

The appeal to help Serena and her two boys has already yielded over $9,000 in contributions from 82 donors.

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“They’ve been a huge part of the local community,” Murdock said of the family of 3. “She (Serena) has been attending Southside Church for the last 6 years. She works for the Chilliwack School District as an Education Assistant and has personally worked with so many of the children here in Chilliwack. We are asking for your help to get her back on her feet. She’s needing her community now more than ever.”

Image: GoFundMe, Ainsley Murdock /

The lot on Spruce Street had yellow caution tape around it and still smelled of burned materials as of Monday morning, April 1. The fire appears to have damaged the home just west of it.