INDIANAPOLIS — Two south side families narrowly escaped a fire overnight Wednesday that destroyed all of their belongings.
The Indianapolis Fire Department responded to the fire at about 12:30 a.m. near Stop 11 Road and South Meridian Street.
An IFD spokesperson said firefighters had it under control in about 30 minutes and are still looking for a cause. The six adults, five children, two dogs and two cats had already all made it out safely before firefighters arrived.
Dorthilen Stephens was asleep inside along with her boyfriend and four children when the fire started.
“My 5-year old daughter comes down the hallway, telling me she heard cracking and smelled smoke,” said Stephens, who got her children out of the home while her boyfriend went to the other side of the duplex to wake up their neighbors.
“He knocked the door down to get them out,” she said.
Within minutes, pictures from the fire department show much of the home was up in flames.
"We had just bought all new furniture, new couches," said Stephens. “We lost everything," including the presents her children had just unwrapped less than a week ago.
Still, Stephens says she’s thankful because it could've been much worse.
“If my kids weren't awake, we all might not have gotten out of there,” she said.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help the family get back on their feet.