The fire broke out at a Ballarat St unit complex on Thursday where Nikki Gabriel and Rodel Musni were living with their 1-year-old daughter, Hope Musni.
No-one was hurt in the fire but the family lost all their possessions.
"I’m just happy we’re OK ... In a way, they’re just material things," Ms Gabriel said on the day.
They were preparing to bring their elder daughter over from the Philippines and had bought several things during the six years they had been living in New Zealand for her arrival — all of which were lost in the fire.
"It’s bad, very bad," Mr Musni said.
"We tried to start a new home here."
A neighbour set up a Givealittle page and on New Year’s Eve arranged for the couple to receive food donated by their favourite restaurant — Queenstown’s Flame.
Ms Gabriel said they shared dinner with family but it was an unusual New Year’s Eve, and Mr Musni said they spent the night opening community donations.
"We didn’t treat it as a donation. We just made it positive that these are gifts," he said.
The couple were overwhelmed by the support.
"Just when I thought that it was just us, everybody just banded together to give everything to get you back up.
"[We’re] really, really, really grateful and blessed," Mr Musni said.
But the couple were also tired and still shaken, and hearing beeping sounds and doing the cooking still made them panic.
When asked what their plan was Mr Musni said "I wouldn’t have a clue."
Soon after news of the fire broke, donations for the family came pouring in and the couple have been offered a unit in another building for two weeks free of charge.
The couple’s Givealittle page has reached more than $4400.
A Fire and Emergency New Zealand spokeswoman said the investigation into the fire concluded on Friday.
The fire was found to have started in the oven and was accidental, she said.
Ms Gabriel said she emailed their property manager about the oven in early December asking that it be checked or replaced.
It was repaired a few days after that, but she had not used it until the incident on Thursday, she said.
