Burnt Home Visit

Burnt Home Visit

As you saw there lots of kids have lost their homes and are having to live with friends or in caravans or rental houses. So Sarah thought she'd go and check out what that is like.

SARAH LARSEN, REPORTER: So this is your bedroom?
ANNE: That's my bedroom, the kitchen.

On black Saturday Michael, Chloe, Anne and Louie weren't at home but they knew the fires were near their home and their mum and dad were in danger.

ANNE: Losing contact with parent I think that would have been the most scariest thing and the hardest thing for us to take in.
MICHAEL: But when we heard that they were alive, it was like a miracle.
ANNE: When we found out that we'd lost our house we kinda burst into tears there.

Their parents survived by hiding down here for two hours.

ANNE: So this is our fire escape slash cellar.

They ran in here with the dog and a few treasured mementos.

ANNE: Yeah I did that in grade five, it was one of the photos mum grabbed because she absolutely treasures it.
REPORTER: And what have you got there?
CHLOE: A picture of me in kindergarten.
REPORTER: So did your mum grab that off the wall too?
CHLOE: Yeah.

The kids are still sifting through the ashes and finding bits and pieces that survived along with some scary reminders of just how hot the fire was. But one of the happiest and most amazing finds was this.

REPORTER: Hello Gizmo! Now how did Gizmo get out?
ANNE: Well she was actually under the car over there the whole time through the fire!
REPORTER: And she managed to get okay, not even singed!
ANNE: Nope, not touched!

The family are now living just down the road in a house they're renting.

LOUIE: This is my sisters room and my room, and we made a cubby house.
REPORTER: Did you guys share a room before the fire?
CHLOE: Ahh No.
REPORTER: So what's it been like sharing?
LOUIE: Scary. She's always messy!

Everything you can see in here is new, donated or borrowed, from their clothes to these toys which came from a relief centre. Outside there's room for Sascha the dog and life starting to get back to normal.

REPORTER: And what about now, three weeks afterwards? How do you feel about it?
ANNE: Well still a little bit shaken up, I shed some tears at night but really that's nothing, but other than that we're taking it as easy as we can

But even though their sad at losing so much, they don't want to leave the area. They've already planned their new house and want to build a new future together.

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