I Walked Through Fire To Save My Kids

Angel Fiorini, 33, stared at the flames and knew there was only one thing she could do to get her children out alive...

- Rebecca Wright & Anna Verdon

When my partner Aaron and I moved into our new home in July 2016 we were so excited. The bungalow needed a lot of work, but it was on an acre of land with plenty of room for our children, Gianna, then seven, Vinnie, three, and Rosalie, one, to play.

There was no kitchen, so we’d have to cook over a camping fire, but we made it our home with great plans of all the things we were going to do to it.

Only, three months later our lives changed inconceivably...

Worst nightmare

It was 28 October 2016 and our day began as normal. Aaron, then 33, was getting ready for work as a handyman and, with the little ones in their pram, I was about to walk Gianna to the school bus. ‘I’ll see you later,’ Aaron said. ‘I’ll let you know what time I’ll be back.’ He was going out after work so would be home later than usual.

I stayed at home looking after Vinnie and Rosalie, and when Gianna was back from school we had dinner before settling down to watch a film.

While the renovations were being carried out, we were all sharing one room. So after the film, I tucked the children into bed. It was now 10pm and I thought I’d get an early night, too. I got into bed and switched off the light. But just over an hour later, I woke up in a panic, struggling to breathe.

I could hear a loud crackling, like there was a bonfire close by. Confused, I opened the door to the hall to see what was happening. I was hit by a wave of heat as I stared in horror at our hallway, engulfed in flames.