After the fire: Family preparing to move into new home after devastating blaze

One of the worst fires in Winnipeg's recent history destroyed Mark Pomrenke's home, Wolseley's beloved Raspberry Manor. More than a year later, his family is almost ready to move into their new home built on the same spot on Westminster Avenue.

Pomrenkeinitially considered naming his new home Phoenix House, but now he's considering calling it Lemonade Stand.

"I got those lemons and I'm making something nice out of it," he said.

'It was like kerosene'

In the early morning hours of April 23, 2016,Pomrenke'sfamily was asleep when they heard a knock on their door. The apartment complex under construction beside their home was engulfed in flames.

"It didn't have any cladding on the inside or the outside, so it just erupted. It was like kerosene. The electrical wires were snaking and there was a fireball coming."

Pomrenke's oldest son was sleeping next to a window facing the massive blaze, which completely destroyed the complex, along with two adjacent homes. Pomrenke rushed outside withhis wife, five-year-old son and eight-month-old baby.

The fire burned for hours and the heat at times reached 1,000 C. It melted street lights and the 100-year-old oak doors of Westminster United Church across the street shrunk from the heat, Pomrenke said.

Four firefighters were injured, along with two women who lived in another adjacent house.

Investigators later determined the cause of the fire was arson.

Pomrenke's house, built in 1909 and known for its distinctive burgundy paint job, was gone.

Help immediately began pouring in, Pomrenke said. "That night, I was offered four places to stay, for however long I wanted. It was overwhelming."

In the aftermath of the fire, Pomrenke said was running on adrenaline, focusing on the practical challenges of moving on.

He said he's grateful to his friend who knocked on his door. "He was my friend, but forever he's not going to be known as Adam. I can't introduce him as 'Adam, my friend.' I [say], 'Adam, the man who saved my life.'"

Deciding to rebuild

Rather than pack everything up and move away, Pomrenke said he and his family chose to rebuild. One reason was the community response after the fire. Another reason was to set an example for his sons.

"I thought, this is a punch in the face. This is an example to them;we're getting up and with our hands, dusting off, and getting on with life in a good way."

The new home has a more modern look than the old one, but some old features remain, like a window in the kitchen, or a backsplash made of old tin ceiling tiles.

On top, they havecreated a "living roof"with herbs and flowers. Pomrenke called it their "dream home."

A few months after the fire, Pomrenke said he woke up a couple times in the middle of the night, thinking he heard a knocking sound.

Although his old house is gone, Pomrenke plans to paint the front door of his new home raspberry as an homage. His family will move in at the end of August.