NORFOLK, Va. — Two weeks after an apartment fire forced a Norfolk woman and her child from their home, Sarah Irizarry is still picking up the pieces while staying in an extended-stay hotel.
Irizarry was asleep in her Debree Avenue apartment on January 13 when neighbors' urgent calls woke her up. What she didn't realize at first was that those neighbors were trying to save her life.
"All I heard was Carlos's mom, Carlos's mom," Irizarry said. "My son wasn't here at the time so I'm like why are they calling his name, and when I woke up that's when I saw the flames out the window."
A quick video from inside the apartment shows smoke filling the living room and captures the moment Irizarry stepped out of her bedroom to discover the fire.
Her son was not home when Norfolk Fire and Rescue responded to the apartment fire. Three pets died in the blaze, and five adults were forced out of their homes, including Irizarry.
Nearly everything in her home was destroyed, including her bedroom, her son's room, the living room and the kitchen.
"I'm still in disbelief every time I come in here I see something different like I wasn't aware that my bed caught on fire so me looking at my bed burnt up that makes me even more grateful," Irizarry said.
The community has rallied around Irizarry and her family during this difficult time.
"Red Cross most definitely, they helped us out for a week at the hotel, his team, the Virginia Beach Mustangs the 10U they helped me with the GoFundMe and my family and friends most definitely showed out," Irizarry said.
Despite the extensive damage, Irizarry has been able to recover some meaningful items from her home, including photographs, her late father's belongings and most importantly, his ashes.
Norfolk Fire and Rescue has not yet released information about how the fire started.
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