The day there was a fire in my house

Chloe McKnight

The day in my life that I will always remember was the time there was a fire in my house.

It was pitch black, about four in the morning. I remember waking up to the sound of my mum shouting mine and my brother's names. I got up and stumbled my way into the landing. I made my way down the stairs and when I got to the bottom I could hear my mum and brother through the smoke. My mum picked me and my brother up and ran with us out the front door. She then told me to run with my brother to my neighbour Ann's house.

When I got there I sat with Ann's daughter watching TV and we got so excited when the fire engine came we ran screaming and jumping around to watch out the window.

I don't remember being scared even though I was only four. I think I was too tired to be scared. Luckily no one was hurt but my mum later told me she left our pet hamsters in the house but they were also ok.

The fire started in me and my brothers' toy room which is now my dining room. My mum told me the TV blew up and I thought she meant literally. I asked her why I didn't hear it but she just laughed.

I remember living in hotels and at one point on my granddads floor in sleeping bags. I spent my fifth birthday in a hotel. Some people gave us clothes and toys which we were grateful for because everything had been damaged by the smoke in the fire. The insurance company paid to get the house redecorated and I remember going to Toys 'R' Us and getting loads of new toys for me and my brother.

When I went back to the house I was quite shocked but my mum soon distracted me by showing me the fluffy pink carpet that would be going in my room.

It seemed like years until the house was finished. I liked it at first but I soon got bored living in hotels with nothing to do. I asked my mum every day if we were going home but she always said not yet.

I loved my new room when we finally moved back in and I loved the rest of the house as well. I was relived and excited when I got up one day and mum said we were going back home.

It has been nine years since the fire now. In a way it was a good thing. I am now very fire conscious now and always make sure I switch my hair straighteners off at the wall.