SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - When the Westman family's doorbell rang in the early afternoon on Dec. 23, a shocking question would dramatically alter their lives, but perhaps save them as well.

The Westman family were able to salvage most of their belongings from the fire that destroyed the upper portion of their home on Hearne Hill Road on Dec. 23. - Terrence McEachern/NNSL photo

"Did you know you're house is on fire?," Moses Hernandez asked Dan Westman, the owner of the home located at 20 Hearne Hill Road.

Hernandez was on Yellowknife Bay taking pictures of Santa Claus for his niece at around 12:30 p.m. As he was driving back to the city centre, he noticed black smoke coming from the house's chimney and from the roof's overhang. His called his girlfriend and asked her to alert the fire department. Hernandez said it was strange because he didn't see anyone standing around the front of the house looking concerned.

Dan Westman was downstairs making breakfast for his youngest daughter Natalie, 18, who was watching television in her upstairs bedroom. She noticed water dripping in front of her bedroom window, which seemed odd, she said. The temperature at the time was between -19 C and -23 C.

"I looked around to see if anybody else's house was dripping water, but I couldn't really tell," she said. She then tried to open her window but couldn't because it was frozen. Later, it was determined the fire was blazing in the attic above her bedroom. Dan Westman explained the smoke alarms didn't respond because there wasn't any smoke in the house.

The fire department arrived at the residence at 12:50 p.m., according to a Dec. 24 press release. Thirty firefighters, two chief officers, pump and water tanker trucks and an ambulance were on the scene. It took about eight hours to control the fire. The fire department said the blaze was caused by a chimney fire and the damage amounted to $650,000.

The family, Dan, his two daughters Lorraine and Natalie Westman, and Paula Tremaine, praised the efforts of the fire department for rescuing their aquarium fish and the Christmas presents.

"They tried to take the Christmas tree but it got snagged on the door," said Lorraine Westman, 21.

In the aftermath of the fire, the family was overwhelmed with the immediate community support and offers of places to stay. That was taken care of however, because Paula Tremaine, a federal government employee, was eligible for federal emergency housing in the city.

Quality Furniture and Roy's AudioTronic, where Natalie and Lorraine work, helped furnish the accommodations.

Someone even left a bag of dog biscuits on the hood of their car for the family's two dogs.

Then came a surprise turkey dinner delivered to them on Christmas Eve.

The mastermind behind the dinner was Jerry Sweet.

"(The turkey) was huge. It would feed easily eight people," said Sweet, a network analyst with Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and a marketing manager with the Dining on 50th Group.

When he heard of the fire, he arranged with the Yellowknife Inn to have Christmas dinner prepared. He then delivered it himself on Christmas Eve.

The family say they were fortunate to have escaped unharmed. They were also able to salvage most of their belongings, except for the contents in Natalie's room because it was so close to the fire.

But the family is still looking for Missy, their 15-year-old white cat with "bright blue eyes." Missy got free from Natalie's arms and fled outside the home.

"We've been out there every day (since) looking for her," she said.

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