Their house was destroyed in Drammen – turned out to be uninsured: 'Desperate'

A devastating fire in Drammen, Norway, destroyed over 110 homes, making it one of the worst residential blazes in the country in over a century. For Ailene and Daylevon, the disaster was compounded by the shocking realization that their newly renovated home was uninsured.

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Just ten minutes after we discovered the fire, the flames had engulfed the entire row of houses.

"Just ten minutes after we discovered the fire, the flames had engulfed the entire row of houses," said Daylevon Karl Bucnag, 24. He and his partner, Ailene, 30, were returning from shopping when they heard a neighbor's fire alarm. Looking out from their terrace, they saw a "huge cloud of fire and smoke." Daylevon attempted to help with a fire extinguisher but quickly realized the flames were too large.

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When we looked out from the terrace, we saw a huge cloud of fire and smoke.

The couple, who had been renovating their home, were initially comforted by the thought that their house was insured. Daylevon, who had taken out various policies including health, cohabitation, life, accident, and contents insurance, was certain their home was covered. However, his attempts to contact the insurance company over the weekend were unsuccessful. On Monday, they received the devastating news: they lacked home insurance. Not only was their house gone, but they were also facing a debt of 3 million Norwegian kroner.

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I thought I would be able to help, but when I stepped outside, I saw that the flames were too big to extinguish. I was shocked.

Friends have rallied to support the couple, with a fundraising campaign initiated by family friend Håkon Brede Berntzen. So far, approximately 900,000 Norwegian kroner has been raised from neighbors and others, with a goal of 2.9 million kroner. "This family is extremely careful that everything is one hundred percent safe," Berntzen stated, explaining that they had purchased the largest insurance package available. He suggested that due to cultural and language differences, and possibly a small mistake, the home insurance was not secured.

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This family is extremely careful that everything is one hundred percent safe. When they had bought the house, they also bought the largest insurance package they could find. They have not actively chosen to forgo home insurance. Due to different cultures and languages, and perhaps a small mistake, this is the result.