Bus used as temporary home gutted by fire

"My first thought is: We don't deserve an incredible community like this. But then I take a deep breath and realize we are so so grateful to have such an incredible unit of friends, family, and community behind us who see us and love us. And we are eternally grateful."

Those were the words to the community from Emily Boulanger this past week. Her temporary home, a bus converted into a camper, was gutted Thursday night by a fire on property in rural Cloquet that she and fiancee Liam May own.

An online fundraising post had raised more than $35,000 in less than a week, and the couple repeatedly thanked the community for donations of everyday items, keeping them and their 4-year-old son safe and warm.

Boulanger said she "drove down our driveway to see our tiny home completely engulfed in flames. The fire department suspects it was an electrical fire."

Firefighters had a difficult time navigating equipment down the narrow driveway to the bus, the Cloquet Area Fire District reported. The property is off Moorhead Road, east of Black Bear Golf Course.

It had been a busy day for CAFD fire crews, with 15 calls for service coupled with some community outreach work. The other fire reported that day was a relatively minor one in a structure's crawlspace, quickly knocked down.

Boulanger said a cat and dog were missing after the bus fire. Two dogs were killed.

The bus was a temporary home for the couple and their son, all who were not home at the time. They had been working on a permanent home on a property they plan to use as a hobby farm with a variety of animals.

Boulanger said the couple will be able to fulfill that dream for a home, thanks to the community outpouring.

"I haven't stopped crying much," Boulanger said. "But those tears of grief are mixed with tears of gratitude."

Along with money and donations of essentials, many people gave their time this past week searching for the missing animals.

The couple said they had search teams walking the area around the property and hired a heat-seeking drone.

"We lost half of our family last night, and are hoping a piece of it can get back to us," Boulanger said.

The couple has very close ties to dogs and people who love them, in running the Transfurmation Training & Grooming business at 1429 Cloquet Ave. in Cloquet. The business is on hiatus as the couple continues to cope with the fire aftermath.

"Just know how incredibly much we appreciate all of the messages, donations, people who are walking the woods in the freezing cold, or who are just here while we attempt to process," Boulanger wrote over the weekend.

She said Tuesday that the search was still on for the pets and the family is doing OK, given the circumstances.

Find the GoFundMe fundraiser under "Support Liam and Emily After a Devastating House Fire." The fundraiser has a goal of $50,000.