FLORISSANT, Mo. — Birth certificates were the only thing a family in Florissant was able to salvage before the fire engulfed their home on Oct. 13.
Kanisha Anthony, nine months pregnant with her fourth child, said the family was gathered near the fireplace in their living room when the fire started.
"My husband noticed a different kind of smell and he went and put the fire out with an extinguisher and all of a sudden they saw the walls bubbling up. And smoke just started coming up. We all ran out and within seconds," Anthony recalled.
Fire officials told Anthony it was a "Chimney fire" caused by the reigniting of hazardous and flammable residues left in the flue.
Anthony was in the middle of doing her son's hair for his homecoming.
Now, deflated balloons lay among debris on the dining room floor for her daughter's upcoming birthday.
"It was not the birthday I was expecting ... I lost my new bedroom that was very. My mom just finished it for my birthday and it's all gone now," Anthony's daughter, Mariah said.
For Anthony, this fire brings back painful memories from over 30 years ago.
In 1993, Anthony survived a devastating fire that left her with burn marks all over her body.
"That one was tragic. I lost two of my brothers in that fire. And that's where all of my scars come from now. And my husband is also a burn survivor," Anthony recounted.
The family has persevered.
'For me ... it was that I got to keep going on with my day. I didn't want to ruin this birthday for my daughter and I want my son to experience his first homecoming.
Since the fire, the Anthony family has been living in a hotel.
Latté Lounge + HG Eatery started a GoFundMe on their behalf and thousands of dollars have poured in from the community.
"People have just been just overwhelmingly blessing us in so many ways. I can't even. Sometimes my tears come from that," Anthony said. "None of us were harmed and so with that, I feel like I can't complain," Anthony said.
Anthony noted that her family has escape plans centered around fire safety because of their past experiences.