Christchurch family’s dream home gutted by fire less than a month after moving in

Carolina Barbosa and Aaron Joseph with their sons, Phoenix and Hendrix (inset), and damage caused by Tuesday’s accidental fire at the family’s Bromley home.

A Christchurch family have been left with almost nothing after a fire tore through their first home less than a month after they moved in.

Carolina Barbosa’s 72-year-old mother, Zulmira, was inside the family’s house in Bromley when the fire broke out on Tuesday afternoon.

She escaped but later collapsed and was taken to hospital as the family watched their new home burn.

“It was terrifying. Terrifying,” Barbosa told the Herald .

She left the house about 4pm to pick up her two children from daycare, leaving Zulmira at home, sewing in her bedroom.

When Barbosa returned, the house was engulfed in flames.

Her mother had made it outside, and neighbours had already called emergency services.