A North Vancouver family has lost all of their belongings in a massive fire the day before Christmas, save for one particularly precious gift Jamie Poole bought for his wife-to-be.

The fire started shortly before 8 a.m. on Christmas Eve at the family's home on Mountain Highway.

Poole, his fianc�e and their three-year-old daughter made it out unharmed, but the fire spread quickly, engulfing the house and destroying almost all of their belongings.

"Everything I've worked for is in that house," Poole said.

"I'm a self contractor, and all my tools are downstairs. That's the only way I make a living."

In Pictures: Single gift salvaged in Christmas Eve fire

One of the most valuable items in the house was a diamond engagement ring, which Poole had stored in a box and hid within the family's Christmas Tree.

Poole spent hours on edge on Thursday morning waiting for the home to cool down enough for fire fighters to enter.

"I just hope I can find my girl's diamond ring that I bought her," Poole said, choking back tears. "My first diamond ring."

"Hopefully we can get it out."

Poole said he was only renting the home, located on the 3000-block of Mountain Highway, and worries his family will not be covered by the owner's insurance.

But despite losing so much the day before Christmas, Poole said he and his family are keeping things in perspective.

"My daughter and my girl are out, and that's all that matters. It's just stuff," Poole said. "You just have to keep saying that to yourself."

Assistant Fire Chief Wayne Kennedy said the cause of the fire has not been determined, but said that the family did the right thing by rushing outside and not trying to salvage their belongings.

"They did the wise thing and just got out of there," Kennedy said.

A shining, sparkling silver lining

At about 1:00 p.m., fire crews finally entered the home.

Virtually all of the family's possessions were destroyed -- but sitting within the charred remains of the family's Christmas tree was a small burnt box.

Inside, crews found Jamie Poole's diamond engagement ring completely intact.

"It's fine," Poole said. "The ring didn't get touched at all."

Relieved as he was to be reunited with the ring, it was a small consolation for the family, which has moved in temporarily with Poole's mother. 

A trust fund has been set up in the names of Jamie Poole and his fianc�e Liza L'Oranger. Donations can be made at any branch of the North Shore Credit Union.

With a report from CTV British Columbia's David Kincaid