The fire alarm screeched through the block of flats as the flames from the explosion spread throughout, thick, black smoke filled the area. The sounds of coughing came from the bedroom as Maisie crawled out of the room.
"Lia," Maisie coughed crawling along the floor slowly begging for air, "Lia!"
Out on the street the alarm had began to attract people as they began to line the cobbles watching the flames crawl up the curtain.
"Oh my god, that's Carla's flat," Eva gasped.
"You go get Michelle," Jason instructed, "I'll go get Rob. Someone call 999!"
Eva nodded and began to quickly run across the street towards the pub, Liz was just about to lock the door when Eva burst through it to reveal Michelle, Steve, and Rob propped up at the bar.
"Eva?" Liz questioned.
"Michelle, Rob you need to come quick, Carla's flat's on fire!" Eva breathed as Michelle's eyes widened.
"You what!" Rob barked jumping off the stool.
"Lia's in there!" Michelle cried as she also ran out with Rob, Eva and Steve following after them, Liz staying with Fia.
"Rob!" Jason alerted him running out the rovers as he stepped back from the flat where he was a second ago, "Mum's phoned 999."
"Never mind 999," Rob muttered as he burst through the crowd and ran up to the keypad on the door.
"No Rob wait for the emergency services!" A shout came from the crowd as Kevin ran up behind him with Tyrone and Steve.
The keypad buzzed allowing the door to open as Michelle went to follow Rob in before a hand struck her shoulder, "Michelle don't."
"Lia's in there! I need to!" Michelle exclaimed before following Rob in.
Back in the flat the smoke began to pillow out through the gap between the front door spreading into the corridor. Lia began to come round to consciousness as Maisie reached her and grabbed her hand pulling her off the couch and to the floor.
"What's happened," Lia coughed.
"I don't know but we need to get Bethany, she tried to wake me up and fell over, she can't walk on her foot," Maisie explained as she took another deep inhale.
"I can't see properly," Lia screwed her face up as she crawled to the bedroom with her friend.
"Bethany come on, we need to get you out of here," Lia announced as a small scream escaped her mouth as fire dropped to the floor in front of them.
"My foot is killing," Bethany cried.
"I know, come on we need to get you out," Maisie softened as she struggled to get up, Lia pulling herself up using her bed.
They each grabbed one of her arms, "Beth we need to drag you," Lia explained as she coughed and pushed the door away from them.
As they began to drag their friend along the floor there was small shouts and coughs from Carla's bedroom.
"Wait what's that?" Lia asked as Maisie struggled with her breathing.
"Lia," A small voice shouted through the wall.
"Oh my god I think that's Simon," Lia panicked dropping Bethany's hand.
"Go get him I'll get Bethany out," Maisie nodded as she began to pull her friend out trying to pull her further up to miss the fire patches on the furniture close to them.
She pulled the door open and begin to get to safety. Back in the flat, Lia burst her mum's door open to reveal Simon crying on the floor and Amy passed out on the bed.
"Come on Si," Lia coughed as a tear rolled down her face.
"I can't breathe," Simon begged for air, "And Amy won't wake up."
"It's okay Si come on," Lia instructed, "Put your hand over your mouth okay, I'm gonna grab Amy and we need to run."
"Lia I'm scared," Simon cried, "Me too but I promise we will be safe soon."
Lia took a deep breathe as she picked Amy up and instructed Simon to open the door and run out.
Halfway out of the corridor, Maisie and Bethany finally met with Michelle and Rob as the heat from the blaze above them began to cool.
"Maisie are you okay," Michelle fretted as the teenager coughed and nodded at the same time.
"Come on we need to get them out," Rob instructed as she picked Bethany up and Michelle took Maisie under her arm.
They burst out of Victoria Court as another explosion boomed out of the flat above them, screams in shock echoed throughout as fire engines began to show up. Members of the street hurried towards them to help, Sarah and David appeared from around the corner to see Bethany coughing on the floor as Roy wrapped her foot up in a tea towel.
"What's happened!" Sarah exclaimed as Bethany began to sob.
"I don't know I don't remember apart from waking up in the fire," Bethany cried as the fire engines stopped and fire fighters ran out.
"We need everyone to clear the area!" They instructed as Michelle offloaded Maisie to Anna who was helping Roy as she attempted to re-enter the building.
"I need to get in! My niece is in there!" Michelle exclaimed as the firefighters forced against her, Steve came over and moved her from the men to his shoulder in support.
Suddenly a shout was heard from the other side of the street as Dierdre and Ken rushed around the corner.
"Has anyone seen Simon or Amy!" Ken shouted.
"What!" Michelle, Steve and Eva chimed all together as they ran over to the older couple.
"We put them to bed about 9 but when we woke up they weren't there!" Dierdre cried as the three gasped.
Just as they were about to respond the door to Victoria court burst one to reveal Lia, Simon and Amy.
"Grandad!" Simon cried out as he burst past the fire brigade and in the direction of his grandparents.
"Where've you been, oh Simon!" Eva cried as they continued to celebrate his return.
Meanwhile, Steve and Michelle had ran over to see Lia and Amy in her arms semi-awake after the catastrophe which had occurred.
"Lia what happened!"
"Are you okay?"
Steve thanked her heavily and relieved his daughter from Lia's arms.
"Chelle I can't-"
"Okay darling keep breathing," Rob guided as the ambulances began to show up.
"Is there anyone else in there?" An officer asked as Lia shook her head.
Suddenly Lia's eyes began to roll to the back of her head as her breathing increased dramatically.
"Lia!" Michelle encouraged.
The girl dropped to the floor, Rob trying to catch her as she fainted but he missed and she bounced off the cobbles.
"Can we get some help over here!"