‘It’s pretty emotional:’ N.B. family escape fire, plan to rebuild home

The Zervos family in the living room of their home on Harmony Drive in Riverview, N.B., which was damaged by fire on Nov. 14. From left to right: Phoenyx (15), Olivia (12), Hayley, Blaze (5), Stone (6) and James.

Blaze and Stone Zervos got to see their bedroom on Sunday.

The boys, ages five and six, climbed the stairs to the upper floor and peaked into the room they shared for the first time since fire damaged their home ten days ago,

They didn’t stay long.

The boys were at home with their mother and older sister when a fire broke out at their Riverview, N.B., home on Nov. 14.

Twelve-year-old Olivia noticed smoke coming from a closet next to her bedroom. She told her mom Hayley who told Olivia to call 911 and tried to put the fire out with a fire extinguisher. When it didn’t work, they abandoned the home.

“I didn’t think, we just got everybody out,” said Hayley.

Everyone was able to get out of the house safely, including the family dog and cat.

“I was trying to run out of the house with Storm in my hands, my cat, and she was just telling me to grab everyone, so I did and we went outside,” said Olivia.

Haley’s husband James was at work in Dieppe, N.B., when the fire occurred. He got a doorbell notification on his phone’s surveillance app.

“I saw it unfold live so it was a pretty scary moment when she said the house was on fire,” James said. “So I jumped in my car and got here as quick as I could.”

Riverview Fire and Rescue Deputy Chief Geoff Fisher said the cause of the fire is still under investigation and the damage was significant.

“A fair bit of smoke and fire damage in the room of origin,” said Fisher. “Smoke damage on the upper level and the bottom level was impacted by water.”

The Zervos family spent a week in a hotel room before renting a house up the street from their damaged home.

James has been back inside his house a few times. He said it gets harder every time he returns.

“You just realize all the things you have lost,” said James. “The whole week has been a blur trying to figure what we’re going to be doing with our lives for the next six to twelve months. It’s pretty emotional.”

Phoenyx Zervos, 15, was at work when the fire happened. By the time she got home the fire was under control. She said it’s strange to see her home this way.

“It doesn’t feel real almost because I’ve never experienced something like this. Everything just looks so different now,” said Phoenyx.

James is grateful everyone is OK, but he is worried about the fire’s emotional impact.

“There’s going to be memories, especially for the people that were in the house when it happened,” said James. “My little guys are five and six and they still talk about it. They’re still scared.

James said his sons have been asking about fire safety and escape plans since the incident.

Olivia said she is upset, but realizes things could have been worse.

“We pretty much lost everything in our house and I don’t have much left,” said Olivia. “But I know we can replace a lot of things so it’s OK,”

Hayley and James said they are touched by the support they’ve received.

“Just when you think things are just unbearable, the kindness all around you kind of uplifts you and it makes it just manageable and you feel the love and support and that’s been everything,” said Hayley.

James said the home needs a full restoration.

“It’s walls out, ceilings out, floors out. Windows, doors, electrical, plumbing, I mean it’s literally starting from scratch,” said James.

For now, he said the plan is to salvage whatever Christmas decorations they can and have as regular a holiday as possible in their temporary home.

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help the Zervos family cover immediate expenses.

For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.