SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Thousands of dollars have already been raised for a Yellowknife couple who lost their home to a fire Friday morning.

Courtney and Axel Jung have been identified as the owners of the home. A gofundme.com campaign has been set up to help raise money for the now homeless couple. - photo courtesy of Corol Sundberg

Flames broke out at the home at 9 Glick Court about 8:00 a.m. According to a woman organizing an online fundraising campaign at gofundme.com, the occupants of the home are a married couple, Alex and Courtney Jung.

They along with their pets ­ a dog and a cat -- were unharmed, said the woman, who asked not to be named. After two hours Friday morning, 57 donors have contributed just under $4,000 to the couple.

Dozens of firefighters battled the blaze in -30 C temperatures as fire and smoke billowed from the house and into the sky. Smoke could be seen from kilometres away. The fire appeared to be the most concentrated on the second and third floor of the three-storey home.

Part of the roof had either burned or caved in.

An ambulance was also on standby at the scene but was reportedly not needed. RCMP and bylaw officers blocked off Glick Court to traffic and kept onlookers from getting too close.

David Hovey, who lives nearby on Avery Court, said he heard sirens at about 8:00 a.m. and looked at his window and saw a huge plume of smoke.

"I couldn't tell exactly where it was coming from at first," he said. "A fire truck and a ambulance arrived within minutes."

Steve Payne, who described himself as a friend of the couple, said Courtney Jung works in the teacher in the city but he wasn't sure at which school. According Yellowknife Education District No. 1's website, the woman is a kindergarten teacher at Mildred Hall School.

The couple could not be reached for comment at press time. It's unclear how the fire started.

Nalini Naidoo, communications director with the city, said the fire department had no information on the fire at press time.