Casting his mind back, Uttam remembered he had decided to go outside, after smelling smoke, to check what was happening.
Returning, a police officer stopped him and told him there was a fire evacuation taking place and he needed to leave.
“At that time I must admit I didn’t grasp the severity of the situation. I was hopeful that I could complete my work,” Uttam said.
“That was on my mind; I didn’t grasp the situation until we went to the town hall that evening. I wasn’t aware that it was so big.”
Four days later, the couple were allowed back to see the shell that was once their family home.
Sandy said she could not believe what was left of their home.
“I was hoping there would be more remains than what we actually saw. That was very hard to accept and hard to believe,” she said.