SAN DIEGO (KGTV) – A North Park baker is sorting through the ashes after a devastating fire claimed almost all the equipment for her business, along with scores of ‘priceless’ items.
Several days later, Chrissy Tompkins is still figuring out how much she lost, after a fire Sunday afternoon consumed the storage garage attached to her rented home off Georgia Court.
“I’m overwhelmed, extremely anxious … In the ashes, I just see a lot of memories and hard work,” said Tompkins.
Tompkins, who wasn’t at home during the fire, says according to fire crews, old wiring is the likely cause of the fire that ravaged the 80-year-old home’s garage.
Tompkins, who works several jobs, including her own sign painting and baking businesses, says about 95% of her equipment was destroyed.
“I had mixers, an ice cream machine, and a lot more,” said Tompkins.
Tompkins says the total loss is more than $15,000. Her renters insurance had recently lapsed.
Her equipment wasn’t the most painful loss.
Tompkins showed me a Christmas mouse, melted into a plastic box.
From boxes of Christmas stuff to photos, all of it burned—the belongings of her mother, who passed away in February.
That included two dozen VHS home videos.
“It sucks, because I wanted to be able to see her alive in a way. It’s a memorial of her and myself when I was a kid. They are memories I don’t get to see again,” said Tompkins.
While those couldn’t be salvaged, other items were barely touched.
While most everything paper burned, remarkably, one of the few things that did survive were Tompkins’ bibles: bibles belonging to her grandmother, mother and a bible she had as a child.
“That’s kind of a sign, ain’t it?” said Tompkins.
Another surprise came as she was looking through burned photos. She found some old photos of her grandmother and grandfather.
“It’s them in the 60s … assumed all these would be gone. Very grateful. I think I will put them in a firebox,” said Tompkins.
Tompkins will have to relocate until repairs can be done.
A Gofundme campaignhas been set up to help Tompkins recover from the fire.
Alice J. Roden started working for Trending Insurance News at the end of 2021. Alice grew up in Salt Lake City, UT. A writer with a vast insurance industry background Alice has help with several of the biggest insurance companies. Before joining Trending Insurance News, Alice briefly worked as a freelance journalist for several radio stations. She covers home, renters and other property insurance stories.