Two families, including 11 children, became homeless Saturdaymorning after a fire coursed through their Bond Hill two-family home.

        No one was injured in the two-alarm blaze in the 5800 block of Rhode Island Avenue. The families also lost presents, their Christmas trees and decorations.

        “If it weren't for the kids. ... It's them I'm worried about,” said Janette Harris, 36, who lives in the first-floor apartment with her five children.

        Ms. Harris was leaving for a funeral when she heard a fire alarm blare from the apartment above. She ran back into her apartment, alerted her baby-sitter, who had her own child with her, and they helped all six children escape safely.

        Ms. Harris never thought about running back for the presents, she said.

        “I wasn't about to try. That's crazy,” she said.

        Larel Parkins, 33, and her six children, lived upstairs and also lost everything.

        She was sleeping in her bedroom when she heard fire alarms. She ran from her bedroom and saw billowing, black smoke and flames.

        She dialed 911 and helped her family escape. But she couldn't stop crying after the fire had been extinguished.

        “I can get over this, I guess,” she said.

        Firefighters said flames were shooting from a second-floor bedroom window when they arrived. Though the fire was contained to the bedroom, it still caused $30,000 in fire, water and smoke damage.

        Electrical problems may have caused the fire, firefighters said, but it is still being investigated.

        The American Red Cross provided the families with vouchers for food, lodging and clothing.

        Through Christmas, they will stay at the Rust Inn in University Heights, but they're not sure what they'll do after that. Christmas dinner may be from Frisch's, which issued vouchers.

        District Fire Chief Paul Weber said that it's especially tough to see a family burned out of its home during the holidays.

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