An Alberta family who sold everything to move to New Brunswick now faces an uncertain future after their house burned down on their very first night in the new home.
Chuck Gow and his wife Alia Parsons had decided to move to the Saint John area with their two daughters after an economic downturn forced them to close down their antique restoration business in Alberta.
Parsons told CTV Atlantic that it took the family 11 days to drive across the country, “and we slept in the boat at truck stops.”
After the long journey, the family finally arrived Friday at their new home, which cost every penny they had.
“It was like a fairytale. We said ‘Wow this place is so beautiful!’ We couldn’t believe we were actually homeowners here,” said Gow.
Parsons and Gow told CTV Atlantic that it was the first time they’d seen their children happy in months.
But the fairytale quickly turned into a nightmare.
Parsons lit a small fire in the living room because the children were cold.
They didn’t realize the chimney was disconnected from the second floor of the house.
When Parsons went outside for a moment, she noticed the house was engulfed in flames.
“There were flames coming outside of Katie’s room and I just started screaming,” said Parsons.
The fire department was able to quickly put out the fire but the family’s new home is left with extensive damage.
On top of it all, the family didn’t have the chance to set up home insurance as there was no power or water.
“We pretty much had a full day of crying. The whole family just held each other,” said Gow.
Despite tragic circumstances, the couple is trying to stay positive for their children.
“We’re thankful that we’re all safe,” said Gow.
In the meantime, The Red Cross has put the family up in a hotel until Tuesday.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Mary Cranston
