Harrowing tale of survival and fear from View Royal fire victim

CHEK

WATCH: It’s a harrowing tale of survival — a woman trapped in her mobile home after it was set on fire and she says she’s still living in fear. Tess van Straaten has this CHEK exclusive.

A month after a devastating fire in View Royal, Lori Fisher still can’t believe everything she owns is gone.

“It’s just completely destroyed,” says a sobbing Fisher. “Everything in here is black. Thirty years of working to have it completely destroyed in five hours. I’ve lost everything”

Sadly, Fisher’s cat has been missing since the blaze at a mobile home park, a blaze police and arson investigators say was deliberately set.

“The fireman said they didn’t find her body inside the trailer,” an emotional Fisher says. “I have looked a couple times, in a couple places in the trailer, where she may have hidden and I haven’t found her either.”

Picking through the debris to see if anything can be salvaged, Lori recounts a terrifying tale of survival.

“He blocked both exits to the trailer and lit them in 9-10 foot flames when I opened the front door to leave the trailer,” she says.

With both doors blocked and the fire raging, Fisher had to squeeze through a small 30 centimetre by 60 centimetre window to escape. She says firefighters told her that had she been much bigger, she may not have made it out.

“All I can think is the fact I am a thin person and I did get out that window because by the looks of it inside I would not be here talking to you,” Fisher says.

Fisher’s ex-boyfriend has been charged with the arson. She claims he left her several threatening messages the day of the fire and she says she’s been living in fear since he made bail.

“It’s very hard turning your back and always looking behind you,” Fisher says, sobbing. “I’ve been staying at several different friends so I’m not in the same place.”

The fire also destroyed the trailer next door, which was demolished on Tuesday.

The suspect, who is also charged with uttering threats and disregard for human life, will make his next court appearance in December.

None of the charges have been proven in court.

Tess van StraatenTess van Straaten

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