Fire broke out Wednesday night, January 27, 2016 at Loranda Stables & Kitty Cottage in Ladner, BC. Luckily, no people or animals were harmed, thanks to some quick thinking from the property owner, Micaela Robinson, and her helpful neighbours. 

“It was a large fire that completely engulfed and destroyed the barn,” says Acting Sgt. Sarah Swallow of the Delta Police, who also stated the cause of the fire is yet undetermined. The fire blazed for well over two hours until crews were finally able to extinguish the flames, which destroyed the family-owned barn. 

“It’s a total loss this morning,” says Stephanie Beharrell, a long-time friend of Robinson. “She’s poured everything she has into that farm, and it was so close to being realized as her dream. She is a person that gives to our community so much, so to see her going through this is absolutely devastating.”

Robinson is highly regarded in her community for her charity, which collects clothing for women and children who are staying in shelters. In 2010, Robinson was issued a police board commendation when she made one of her rental homes available to those in need, during a time when Ladner police were addressing the issue of homelessness within their city. Robinson was also recognized for her charitable endeavours at the local soup kitchen, collecting donations for an annual Christmas dinner.

After learning of her friend’s misfortune, Beharrell immediately started a GoFundMe page (https://www.gofundme.com/8fjv8zsc) to help Robinson recover from the considerable loss.

“The Ladner community comes together whenever there’s something [like this],” Beharrell says. “It’s tremendous. You may not know each other, but everyone is family.”

With files from www.cbc.ca; www.news1130.com; www.theprovince.com.