A Manitoba family is picking up the pieces after a devastating fire destroyed their house.
It happened Sunday afternoon in Kleefeld, about 50 kilometres southeast of Winnipeg.
“It's just difficult, it's hard I can't talk too much,” said homeowner Jakob Bool.
The fire started at around 3:30 p.m., when the family noticed smoke spewing out of the garage. Bool said he, his wife, and 13 of his children all got out safe through the back door.
“We ran through the patio door, and then ran through deep snow to the neighbour," Bool said.
No one was hurt, but fire fighters couldn't save much of the house, Bool said everything inside is destroyed.
According to Bool, it's not the first tragedy this family has endured. In November, he lost his son Florian in a car accident.
The family is now staying with Bool’s brother-in-law Waldo Werner.
“We are doing everything to help, physically we can help a lot but emotionally it’s not that easy,” Werner said.
Fire investigators believe the destruction was caused by a small extension cord plugged into a fridge in the garage.
“The fridge was sitting on top of this,” Ken Giersch, a senior fire investigator said, pointing to a burnt extension cord.
Giersch said it’s important for people to remember these chords are only meant for temporary use.
“People should be looking at the extension cords that they have in their homes, and replacing them by directly plugging in the appliance to an outlet," he added.
Jakob Bool said his family will look to rent a vacant house next door, while their own house is rebuilt.
Neighbours and their church community have stepped in to help.
A GoFundMe page raised more than 21- thousand dollars, in just one day.
