Ian Hayden left Christchurch to escape earthquakes, but yesterday had to face the loss of his belongings and dog after fire destroyed the Oamaru home he moved into just three weeks ago.
The 41-year-old, just before 7pm on Tuesday, had switched on the oven element to warm pumpkin soup when he heard "a loud explosion". When he opened the curtain between the living room and kitchen, the fire erupted and within minutes engulfed the Caledonian Rd house.
While the loss of his belongings was bad enough, the death of his 15-month-old Staffordshire-cross dog Ti-anna, which he had been given two weeks ago, was the most upsetting.
"I had her only a short time but I loved her. I was getting her trained and I'd take her for walks twice a day," he said outside the house yesterday, holding her chain in his hand.
As Mr Hayden was fleeing the house, he called to her.
"I think she thought it was bedtime because she rushed into the bedroom. I tried to get back inside to get her but the fire spread so quickly," he said.
After the fire had been dampened down, Mr Hayden managed to retrieve her body about 3am and buried her yesterday, putting a sprig of lavender flowers on her grave.
The fire destroyed everything he had in the rented house, and he was left with only the clothes he was wearing when he fled the fire.
Firefighters on Tuesday night scouted around and got him more clothes, for which Mr Hayden was grateful.
He has arranged somewhere to stay, but yesterday was not sure what his long-term plans were.
"I came to Oamaru for a future, but I don't know what I'm going to do now," he said.
Mr Hayden left Christchurch "to get away from the earthquakes" about 2 months ago. He camped beside the river in a tent at Dansey Pass - "it was very cold" - where he prospected for gold, before he was offered a garage to stay in.
About three weeks ago, through a rental agency, he arranged to rent the house.
On Tuesday night, he went into the kitchen, put the soup on an element and turned it on.
He went back into the living room, pulling the curtain between it and the kitchen. There was the sound of an explosion and he went to investigate, pulling back the curtain.
"There were no smoke detectors or smoke or anything so I didn't realise there was a fire."
The kitchen burst into flames forcing Mr Hayden out.
Neighbours told him it was only about three minutes before the house was engulfed. Most of the house suffered major flame and smoke damage.
Mr Hayden was checked at the fire by ambulance staff and taken to Oamaru Hospital for treatment for smoke inhalation before being released.
