Katie Kitchen escapes house fire with nothing but her dog
A single mother and her two teenagers fled their burning house in Brooks Reach, NSW, losing everything they owned.
Katie Kitchen and her children Zane, 16, and Zahli, 14, were asleep when flames erupted on the lower level of their two-storey home around 1:30 am on 18 September. Adrian Lamacchia, her neighbour, pounded on the door and yelled.
Kitchen grabbed her children, called for Zahli's dog Bonni, and they fled with only the clothes on their backs. While sitting in their car watching the house burn, Kitchen phoned emergency services.
The home is now too damaged to enter and search for salvageable items. The family is heavily involved with the Shellharbour City Basketball Association.
The club bought Zane and Zahli new uniforms and boots so they could play just two days after the fire. A GoFundMe page has been created to help with rebuilding.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
- 1:30am on Friday, September 18
- Time of fire
- Zane, 16, and Zahli, 14
- Children
- Adrian Lamacchia
- Neighbour who warned them
- Bonni
- Dog rescued
Why it mattersThe story reveals how quickly supportive communities rally when families face disaster.
AustraliaFires in NSW continue to displace families; this story highlights how community networks help people rebuild after losing everything.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 2 h ago
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