Family loses home in fire, Forgotten Child Fund forced to reschedule gift delivery

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (WDEF) – One of the families, who was supposed to get gifts last night from the Santa Train with Chattanooga Police, lost their home in a house fire the Friday before Christmas.

Alecia Robinson says “my son just flew out of the back room screaming. I didn’t understand nothing he said. He flew out from the back and out the door.”

Robinson says her son ran out of the home on Peachtree Street around 4pm on December 21st.

His 5 siblings followed that Friday afternoon just days before Christmas.

Robinson says the fire that quickly consumed their home. It began in the back of their home and destroyed everything inside. Robinson says she has no choice, but to stay positive for her children.

“Even though we went through this, I can’t just let this change me even though I’ve been feeling down and stressed. I can’t let that get to me,” says Robinson.

They were left with the clothes on their back.

Robinson says, daily, she’s been forced to by clothes as they start over.

She’s received some help, but she’s hoping to soon find some stability. One of her children’s coaches offered assistance as well as the Red Cross.

She says, “I’ll take anything, any donations will help, but I just want to house.”

She hopes the realtors or property owners, who have affordable properties, so that they find a stable place to live soon.

“I’ve been searching and searching for places and it’s kind of hard around this time of the year. Trying to find a place,” says Robinson.

With it being the holidays, hotels and extended stays have made it hard to find housing under $80 a night.

Most leasing offices also have limited hours, but Robinson says they are staying hopeful.

Robinson says, “My son was just like ‘we’re going to find a house mama. I was like I don’t know. I know it’s going to take time but we are going to find a house.”

The fire public information officers says, the firefighters made a quick interior attack and got the blaze under control in roughly 20 minutes.

Chief May said the cause of the fire will be ruled accidental.

The mother of the kids, Alecia, sent us a link to their GoFundMe page.