'We lost all of our personal belongings': Four people displaced after east Windsor house fire

Damage is estimated at $250 thousand dollars, and a family of four are displaced, following a house fire on the city's east end. They’re happy to be alive.

Firefighters responded to a call on Francois Court around 10:30 Tuesday morning.

Before firefighters arrived, 18-year-old Tyler Sims said he was home when the fire broke out.

He made attempts to put it out using a fire extinguisher and pots of water, but "nothing was working until the whole house was engulfed with smoke."

At that point he said he grabbed his younger brother and got out of the house.

When firefighters arrived, the building was engulfed in smoke and flames. There were no injuries to the Sims family, a father and three sons, who were renters of the residence.

Unfortunately, the tenants did not have renters insurance.

The cause is listed as an accidental electrical failure that started in the upstairs bedroom. According to Windsor Fire, there were no working smoke alarms or CO detectors.

Wednesday afternoon, CTV News Windsor interviewed brothers Zach and Tyler Sims. They said it's a total write-off.

"All our clothing and everything - it was just all gone,” said Zach. “We made it out with what was on our backs."

The family started a Go Fund Me page to help rebuild their lives.

"It just came as such a shock - we didn't expect it to happen,” said Tyler.

“Any support helps - even if it's a simple pat on the back to tell you that 'hey man, keep going forward'. We did start a Go Fund Me, which is very helpful. I think we've got one donation so far but you never know where it can go," he added.

Despite the tragedy, the Sims family say that they are grateful and thankful that they all survived.

Brothers Zach and Tyler SIms, who lost everything in a house fire, as seen on March 15, 2023. (Gary Archibald/CTV News Windsor)