It's not everyday that you hear that a family has built their dream home only to have it burn to the ground before they *even* have a chance to move in. But that happened today in Ashland... and there is a silver lining to this story. Trevor Roy has more.

It was supposed to be the dream home of Barry and Adrienne Stromberg, but it turned into a nightmare before the couple and their two kids even had a chance to move in.

Weeks before the family was to move, it was discovered that two types of toxic mold had infected the house, making it unlivable.
The news broke the Stromberg's heart.

"You know when the tell you you're never going to be fully complete you know it's true you never get back what you put into it and we're far from that. "

Friends, family and about 50 fire fighters gathered today at the house, valued in the hundreds of thousands, to watch it burn to the ground.
The Stromberg's saw their misfortune as an opportunity to help others, and decided to volunteer the house to the Wisconsin Indianhead and Technical College fire program.

Heading the fire operation is WITC fire instructor Mike Herrmann and he says controlled burns are important to fire departments.

"It certainly refreshes their skills, if you're on a department that does not have a lot of structure fires and that's a good thing this is probably the best way to keep people up to date and keep their skills at top notch."

The Stromberg's are hopeful that watching their home that they emptied their pocketbooks and poured their hearts into, go up in a ball of smoke and fire will bring closure to this nearly 3 year ordeal.

"We needed some closer on this and this is a wonderful way to do that"

The Stromberg family has since moved from Ashland, but says their friends and family in the area helped them through the trying time.

"It's just nice to feel comforted by them and that they've been here you know with us through this whole ordeal"

So did the Stromberg's get that closer they were seeking?

"Just watching kind of your dream finally being complete but not in the way that you necessarily envisioned it."

In Ashland, Trevor Roy, The NorthlandsNewscenter.

The Stromberg's say they aren't planning on building again, but hope their ordeal raises awareness of the *dangers* of mold growth in new construction.