Eugene, OR – A family in Eugene, Springfield, is grappling with the aftermath of a devastating apartment fire that broke out Thursday night on Railroad Boulevard, claiming the lives of three dogs and leaving the family homeless with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
Steve Olivier, the father of the family, described the incident as a “nightmare.” When the fire started, his 17-year-old son was inside his bedroom with friends. The teenagers managed to escape by breaking a window with a baseball bat, climbing onto the roof, and jumping onto a trampoline below.
In a desperate attempt to save his 10-year-old daughter, whom he thought was still trapped inside, Olivier ran back into the building, only to be overwhelmed by thick black smoke. “I rounded the corner, and I saw the fire, and I was screaming my daughter’s name,” Olivier recalled. “And I couldn’t even hear my own voice. I turned around and couldn’t find my way out. It was black with smoke.”
Fortunately, his teenage son found him and dragged him out of the burning building to safety. Olivier later learned from his wife that their daughters, ages 10 and 13, had already escaped and were safe with her.
Tragically, the fire claimed the lives of the family’s two dogs and a third dog they had been pet-sitting. The family’s cat is still missing. With their home completely destroyed and all of their belongings, including Christmas gifts, lost to the flames, the Oliviers are now relying on the kindness and generosity of their community to get through this difficult time.
“The outpouring right now, and the support and the love is overwhelming, and it’s getting us by right now,” said Olivier. “We lost everything, but to realize how many people care is really touching, and it’s about the only thing keeping my mind strong right now.”
In response to the tragedy, a stranger has set up a GoFundMe page to assist the family as they begin the difficult process of rebuilding their lives. The community’s support has been a lifeline for the Oliviers as they try to navigate the devastation caused by the fire.
As investigators continue to search for the cause of the fire, the family is left to rebuild from the ground up, grateful for the overwhelming support that continues to pour in from friends, neighbors, and strangers alike.
