Treasured photos of his four children were destroyed with the rest of his possessions, including all of his clothes, when a fire broke out in the chimney flue and quickly spread through the kitchen and lounge of his rented house.
Mr Melvin was thankful his children - a 10-year-old, 7-year-old twins and a 3-year-old - were staying with their mother on Saturday.
He was in the lounge with some friends when he heard a loud bang just after midnight.
"I thought it was the meter board," he said.
"I went into the passage to check the board, and smelt smoke."
He opened the door to the kitchen and saw flames "shooting everywhere".
"I got my friends out of the house and went next door to call the Fire Service."
Balclutha deputy chief fire officer Terry Michie said two appliances from Balclutha and one from Kaitangata were sent to the blaze.
"We were there for about two and a-half hours," he said.
Mr Michie said the fire started in the flue inside an old chimney.
"Something ignited, and it's spread into the ceiling and into the living area."
Mr Melvin said watching his house burn was a horrible experience, and he went back to the neighbours and called some friends to come and support him.
He spent Saturday night staying with a friend.
Yesterday he was wearing his father's clothes.
"I've lost everything," he said.
Mr Melvin was insured, but was sad about losing his irreplaceable photos.
