A Carmacks family has lost just about everything after a fire essentially destroyed their home last Thursday.

The structure of the home of retired RCMP officer Russell Blackjack, his partner and two young boys is still standing.

However, everything in it was destroyed from what began as a chimney fire Thursday afternoon while the family was out.

Even the flooring was destroyed Friday when the blaze began smoldering again and the fire department had to return to the scene.

As Blackjack's older daughter (who lives in the Whitehorse area) Shelby said this morning, the most important thing is that everyone in the family is safe.

The family arrived home to see the chimney fire. The RCMP and local firefighters responded, but with the -30 C temperature, everything in the house not damaged by fire or smoke ended up being frozen and damaged from the water.

Whitehorse RCMP Sgt. Don Rogers said today Carmacks RCMP were called to the scene at 3:52 p.m.

Smoke was spewing out of the chimney and windows at that time, and crews remained on the scene until 6:50 p.m. The fire has not been deemed suspicious and the RCMP investigation into it has concluded, Rogers said.

It took little time for the community to mobilize. A Facebook event (Donations for Blackjacks – Retired RCMP Lost Everything In Fire) was listed Friday afternoon telling Yukoners where they can drop off donations for the family.

"The response has been overwhelming,” Shelby said this morning.

In the first two hours of the event being posted on Facebook, $320 had come in to Shelby's office at the Yukon College campus in Whitehorse.

Cash, clothes and toys for the two boys – Hunter, age nine and Trent, age eight – are continuing to come into Shelby's office and the Little Salmon-Carmacks First Nation offices in Carmacks.

The RCMP are also collecting donations internally, Rogers said.

"They've gotten a huge amount of support,” Shelby said.

For those looking to donate clothes, the Facebook page lists Hunter, who will turn 10 this weekend, as wearing adult small shirts, size 32 pants and shoes that are youth size eight. Trent wears youth size 18 shirts, size 30 pants and youth size seven shoes.

While the site doesn't list anything for the two adults in the home, Shelby said Russell wants the focus to be on the boys, with clothing being one of the biggest needs.

The family does have all their winter gear they were wearing on the frigid day of the fire.

The family, she said, is grateful for the support it's received.

"It's the Yukon; the Yukon comes together,” Shelby said.