Help for Malakwa truck stop workers left jobless after fire

MALAKWA – A fundraising initiative is underway to help support employees of the popular Skyline Truck Stop, which burned to the ground earlier this week in Malakwa.

“Not only did we lose a place of employment, the only source of income for some families in a small community that has next to no jobs, but we lost what feels like a family member,” wrote employee Trinity Kendrick on a Go Fund Me page.

“Some families lost their entire incomes, some were single moms, some with harder situations than others. Our employers are working hard to get our last paycheques to us but the paperwork was destroyed in the fire and anyone who has dealt with EI knows how long that can take.”

Roughly 10 people were employed at the truck stop, which had a restaurant, tire shop and gas bar.

It’s believed a space heater or electrical malfunction in an upstairs office might have sparked the devastating blaze.

It is unknown if the owners plan to rebuild.

You can donate to the Skyline employees relief fund here. As of Thursday morning, $350 of a $3000 goal had been raised.

To contact a reporter for this story, email Charlotte Helston at chelston@infonews.ca or call 250-309-5230. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.