The tragedy occurred in November 2022. The roof and attic of the house in Suszki, where nine people lived, burned down. The rescue operation lasted more than three hours. The building was no longer fit for habitation. A representative of Gmina Bolesławiec and the District Building Supervision Inspectorate were called to the scene. The family was placed in three units in a social housing estate.
The day after the fire, a Facebook group called Auctions for the Fire Victims from Suszki was launched. Magdalena, the group’s founder and an acquaintance of the affected family, wrote:
A house occupied by a family of nine burned down. The residents got out with only the clothes they were wearing. Two people suffered burns and are in hospital. The house is unfit for habitation. To help our neighbors get back on their feet, at least to some extent, I would like to ask you for help. Two small children lived in the house: a five-year-old girl and a three-year-old boy, as well as a disabled teenager.
Among those who joined the relief efforts were volunteers from ZSET Rakowice Wielkie, the ZSOiZ community in Bolesławiec, GOKiS in Kruszyn (auctions at the Christmas Fair), parishioners from Włodzice Wielkie, local business owners and ordinary people who wanted to help.
Kind-hearted people raised PLN 50,060 on pomagam.pl. After the commission was deducted, approximately PLN 45,000 was transferred to a relative of the fire victims.
The first troubling reports reached the istotne.pl newsroom in March 2023. At that time, they were only unverified reports about what the recipients themselves had done with the money and donations, and how the family was behaving in the social housing estate where it had been given temporary accommodation until December 2023.
“The army brought them packages: clothes, washing powder and cleaning liquids. As far as I know, they sold half of it,” the informant said. “Before Christmas, they were given three apartments in the social housing estate. The parents, the brother with his family—his wife and two teenagers—and the sister with two young children. The sister with the small children has a partner who comes over at the weekend. That is when the biggest drinking sessions take place. They get together and drink. There are shot glasses, beer and vodka in the middle, while the children run around among them. When they start in the morning, they finish at one in the morning. The police do not even come anymore. You can only hear them shouting at the crying children, ‘Shut your mouth, shut up, or I’ll give you away,’” the informant said.
One of the people who contributed money also had unfavorable information about the behavior of the people whom so many had helped.
“As for the money, it was transferred to the account of one of the family members,” the woman said. “They withdrew the entire amount from the account, but I do not know how they distributed it. The money was supposedly intended to pay for house plans so that renovation could begin, but as far as I know, the amount was squandered. A new car was supposedly going to be purchased. The first thing was a clothing and basic necessities collection. Within half an hour, I had a car full of donations; the family was clothed and the children received toys. People say that the child—a young boy, according to the editor’s note—looks neglected; apparently, children were picked up from school while intoxicated. It did not turn out as it should have... We were not waiting for accolades or applause, but at least for a word of thanks,” the woman summed up the fundraiser.
We asked Maciej Burniak, who is responsible for the social housing estate in Gmina Bolesławiec, about complaints concerning the behavior of the people from Suszki.
In response to your questions, I inform you that the matter of the fire victims’ inappropriate behavior was reported only once, and verbally. We responded to the information immediately. A disciplinary conversation was held, which, in our opinion, had positive results, as to this day—March 21, 2023, according to the editor’s note—there have been no reports from residents indicating that the situation has not changed and that the fire victims’ behavior remains the same. In view of your message, we will address the matter again, but in greater detail, in order to resolve it. I also inform you that no written complaint concerning the above problem has been submitted to this office.
Maciej Burniak, inspector for the management of the municipal housing stock
From the response we received from the District Court, we know that proceedings are currently pending concerning the mother of the minor children and the limitation of her parental authority. On May 19, 2023, the court issued a protective order, in the form of probation officer supervision, for the duration of the proceedings.
The mother of the minor children herself denies that a car was purchased with money from the fundraiser and that the donations were squandered.
“I bought the car with my own money,” the woman said, indignant at the allegation. “My father was ill, and we had to drive him to doctors. We divided the money among three families. Each received PLN 15,000. That is too little to renovate the house, and the house is due to be demolished,” the fire victim explained. The woman invited us into the house and showed us that it was unfit for use.
We also spoke with her brother, who was carrying out work on his property. He hopes to move by winter into a small stone building standing near the burned-out house. The yard around the house has been cleared. The fire victims have only just begun cleaning because, as they say, they were waiting for warmer weather to carry out the work.
When asked what they had spent the money on, the brother and sister replied that it had gone toward things needed for the house.
Our newsroom also joined the relief effort by publishing material informing readers about the fundraiser. When someone’s house burns down, no one asks what the collected donations will be spent on, because it seems obvious. Unfortunately, perhaps we should ask after all, and transfer the money for a specific purpose or pay for a service directly. That way, we can help more effectively.