Two families are worried about where they'll go after a weekend fire put them out of their duplex units.

And even though some good Samaritans are coming forward with donations, their biggest concern is they have nowhere to live.

The duplex at 135 and 137 Redwood Cres. had two upper units and two basement suites.

Jason Cameron and Denise Keen lived beside the upstairs suite that was gutted by a grease fire Saturday afternoon.

They and downstairs neighbours Natasha Leslie, Vance Assu and daughter Kennedy, 4, and Leslie's mother Wanda, said Monday they have nowhere to go and emergency services will only put them up in a hotel until today at 11 a.m.

"We spent half the day crying because we don't know what our next step is," Assu said Monday.

The other upstairs tenants were taken care of by Community Living B.C., while the two men who lived below are staying with family.

They all watched as the house billowed flames and black smoke Saturday. They returned to their suites Monday to retrieve some possessions, but could only take a limited amount because they have nowhere to put them.

Enter Twyla Lambert, a member of the Facebook group Random Acts of Kamloops Kindness.

She got in touch with the families and has been their mainstay, helping them by appealing for donations and directing them to certain agencies to seek help. Turned out she worked at Convergys with Cameron and Keen a few years ago.

On Monday afternoon, the two families gathered in Lambert's living room — where the plants and some other items they salvaged were being stored — to talk about their worries about what happens next.

"If it wasn't for Twyla, we would be lost," said Cameron, adding they've all felt so overwhelmed and fatigued they haven't known which way to turn.

"We're completely in shambles," said Assu.

None of them had content insurance and both families rely on part-time or on-call jobs to scrape by.

Cameron said they met with their landlord Monday and were told they wouldn't be getting their damage deposits any time soon.

Lambert said without a damage deposit, the families can't settle into a new home.

"None of them have anywhere to go," she said. "I've been in that position, I needed help. I know what it was like for me. I couldn't imagine ever going through that again."

The landlords, Rick and Theresa Popoff, bought the house almost two years ago and did upgrades to it.

Theresa Popoff said her husband met with the tenants and the mortgage broker Monday and they were told they would be getting their deposits back.

She said the damage deposits should be forthcoming in a few days, and they'll get their pro-rated rent from Feb. 18 as well.

However, she said, the tenants need to get their property out of the units so they can be cleaned up. If they had had content insurance, they would have had coverage for somewhere to stay temporarily, she added.

"We strongly suggest people get tenant insurance."

Assu said the two families appreciate the help they've had — people have even dropped off toys for his daughter at the hotel.

"I think I can speak for everyone in the room that we're really thankful for everything we've received," he said.

They also appreciate a mysterious tall, bald lanky man who knocked on Keen and Cameron's door to warn them about the fast-moving fire.

City fire inspector Dan Funk said the cause of the fire has been confirmed as a pot on the stove.

The unit where the fire started was heavily damaged, and the rest of the building is unlivable for now due to smoke.

If anyone wants to donate to the fire stricken families, they can do so through Facebook and search Random Acts of Kamloops Kindness. Or they can call Lambert at 250-376-4208.

COOKING FIRES

In 2011, there were 21 cooking fires with seven injuries and $173,000 in losses, according to Kamloops Fire Rescue.

So far in 2012, there have been three cooking fires with one injury and $160,000 in losses.