TACOMA, Wash. — A Tacoma family of 11 sifted through what’s left of their belongings after the home they lived in was destroyed in a fire nearly one week ago.
“We put pieces of what we can together but even anything we are able to pull out is so smokey and damaged and charred,” said Destany Droge, who escaped from the burning home.
Sentimental pieces like Destany’s late grandmother’s Bible were destroyed. But on May 12, what matters most barely made it out.
“Live every day like it's your last because you never know. We were two seconds away from not making it out of there,” Doge said.
Around 4:30 a.m. on May 12, while everyone was asleep, Kaihla Koroshes woke up to flames.
“I saw some light and it took me a minute to realize it wasn’t the sunrise. I realized it was a fire and I ran out of my room and up the stairs and screamed for all of them to get up and the house was on fire,” said Koroshes.
Eleven people were inside the home including seven kids, the youngest is a newborn. Koroshes went back multiple times to get everyone out, including 15-year-old Kayli, but the home was engulfed.
Kayli was able to get the window open and her mother Destany told her to jump.
“I just kept screaming and no one could hear me. I laid there and I couldn't breathe so I opened the window and jumped out,” said Kaylianna Bezk.
Kayli made what would be a life-saving jump from the second-story window, but now has a long road to recovery. She is still suffering from lung issues and was on life support for nearly three days.
The fire is believed to have started on the back porch but the cause remains unknown.
The family’s dog made it out, but the cat is still missing. The biggest concern for the family is where they will stay next. The family of 11 is staying in an Airbnb, but needs to find a new house by Friday.
“Don’t take anything for granted because you could have everything one day and wake up the next with nothing,” Droge said.
The family set up a GoFundMe to help with expenses and to find permanent housing.
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