A member of Prince Edward Island's symphony orchestra, oboist Marc DesRoches, recently faced a significant career setback due to an accidental fire that devastated his home and destroyed a treasure trove of musical instruments. On June 2, DesRoches attempted to dispose of sensitive papers by burning them in a stainless steel sink outside the residence he shared with his partner, Glen Gamble, in New London, P.E.I. However, he speculated that a small leaflet may have blown away amidst the windy conditions, leading to a rapidly spreading fire.
Upon returning to the house, DesRoches was alarmed to find his deck ablaze. The fire quickly engulfed the home, resulting in the destruction of two oboes, an English horn that was still being financed, three pianos, and a vast collection of other woodwind and brass instruments, including a cherished tuba that belonged to his grandfather. Additionally, essential family heirlooms, such as a pair of Chinese vases that have been in Gamble's family since the 19th century, were lost to the flames. Tragically, their orange cat, Tchaikovsky, also went missing during the incident, though DesRoches remains hopeful that the cat has merely wandered off and is still alive.
Despite the magnitude of the loss, DesRoches expressed his determination to replace at least one oboe and the English horn, as he believes performing with the orchestra will provide much-needed healing. He stated, "I feel like playing with the symphony is going to be one of the most healing things for me."
Scott Mintie, chief of the New London fire department, reported that 25 firefighters responded to the emergency call. Upon their arrival, they found the single-family home fully engulfed in flames. Fortunately, DesRoches was the only occupant at home and managed to escape without injury. Mintie highlighted that the strong winds, estimated at 35 km/h from the south-southwest, significantly contributed to the rapid spread of the fire. Fire crews were effective in putting out small spot fires caused by blowing embers, preventing further damage to surrounding areas.
Mintie emphasized the day's events as a stark reminder of how quickly emergencies can escalate in windy conditions. He noted that the occupant's ability to exit promptly likely averted a much more tragic outcome.
DesRoches recounted his frantic attempt to control the blaze using a fire extinguisher from the garage. He quickly realized, however, that the flames were spreading too rapidly, and he felt the heat on his face as he sought to salvage what he could. "I ran back to the front of the house because the fire was at the very back, and I just peeked my head in the door to get eyes on the two spots that my cat is usually sitting," DesRoches said, his voice breaking with emotion. Unfortunately, he did not see Tchaikovsky, who responds to "Tchai," and was unable to rescue her before fleeing the house.
Although DesRoches and Gamble had home insurance, it was not sufficient to cover the cost of replacing the lost musical instruments. In response to their situation, they have initiated a crowdfunding campaign aimed at raising funds to help replace the instruments that were destroyed. DesRoches remains hopeful and is determined to rebuild both his personal and professional life after this devastating event.
