The family was just sitting down to Christmas Eve dessert in their Peters home when a latecomer arrived, mentioning how warm it was in the room.

"We open the window, too hot. We open the door, too, still too hot," said Vladimir Ivashchenko.

Smoke wasn't evident in the fireplace, but it soon became obvious something was very wrong.

"Paint started to bubble [on the wall near it]," said the Rev. Ivashchenko, who emigrated from the former Soviet Union 15 years ago and, in addition to serving as sexton at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Mt. Lebanon, is pastor at Slavic Baptist Church in Dormont.

His four sons -- including Andrey, a senior at the U.S. Navel Academy and a former roomate of Jack McCain, son of Senator John McCain -- grabbed a garden hose and tried to douse the fireplace, but by then, flames had spread inside the walls and up to the attic.

The family fled.

"Most of the neighbors came out, they bring us jackets; it was pretty chilly," said the Rev. Ivashchenko, who could only watch as five fire trucks converged at the house.

Insurance investigators have yet to determine the amount of damage or the official cause of the fire, although the Rev. Ivashchenko said he and his wife, Liliya, had been told there was possibly a small crack in the wall of the fireplace.

The family moved to Peters in August. With the exception of burning a few papers as a test, he said, this was the first real use of the living room fireplace.

The Ivashchenko boys were all athletes and musicians. The family had planned to attend 10 o'clock service at St. Paul's that night, where the sons were to play in the orchestra.

Although he has not been allowed into the house yet, the Rev. Ivashchenko said, it is his understanding that the attic fire destroyed boxes of clothing stored there. The condition of their remaining possessions, including a grand piano and new, flat-screen television in the living room, is unknown.

"Hopefully, all his losses will be covered for him, but we stand ready to do whatever we can to get to the point of starting to rebuild," said the Rev. Louis Hays, rector of St. Paul's.

"At the moment, it's kind of a moral support thing and could move to being something more hands-on, depending on what he needs and what happens after dealing with insurance."

Members of the church have discussed setting up a fund for the family.

After the fire, the Ivashchenkos lived in a hotel for 10 days and moved into rental property in Peters earlier this week.

"A lot of people want to know how we are. People call from the church, my neighbors, especially those from the son's wrestling.

"We appreciate all the people who call, and all who want to help."