An early morning blaze has destroyed a residence in the center of the hamlet of Rostock, leaving a family of four out in the cold.
The fire reportedly broke out around 6:00 a.m. in the single family home on Perth Road 135. Smoke could be seen kilometres away.
The four residents, a mother, father and two children who were asleep inside at the time all got out safely, and no other injuries have been reported.
Neighbour Cathy Burkhardt heard screaming, she says "I heard someone yelling ‘Get out, get out,' and then ‘Help me, help me.'"
She and her husband Walter followed the sounds outside and saw smoke coming from their neighbour's home.
He says "By the time we got there the whole house was full of flames, we couldn't even get in anymore…They lost basically everything, there's nothing left of the house."
Nearby they found four frantic people, including two young boys, barefoot and wearing only pyjamas.
Cathy says "I bundled them up quickly and brought them down to our house where they were safe and warm."
Fire crews from detachments in Sebringville and Milverton were called to respond to the fire, but the house was reportedly fully engulfed when they arrived.
Perth East Fire Chief Darryl Reis says "My understanding is the mother woke up with the smell of smoke, the smoke alarms went off, and everyone was able to get out safely."
Neighbours say the homeowners had just finished renovating the house, but everything has been destroyed by the fire.
Officials don't know what caused the fire, and Reis says the Ontario Fire Marshal's Office has been called in to investigate given the magnitude of the loss.
Roads in the area remained closed for several hours following the blaze.
The family is now reportedly staying with relatives and fundraising efforts are already underway.
