Nicole Russell said it is hard not to imagine what her life would have been like if she had taken a different course of action before the fire that destroyed her rented home in Tamaqua.

“It’s a lot to process,” she said Wednesday.

Russell, 36, remembers going to the kitchen to take a dog outside to the bathroom, but she went upstairs for something instead. It was the last time she would see the dog alive.

A candle was burning on a shelf above the stove and near the microwave but far enough she believes it would not pose a danger. She would have blown it out if she had gone to take the dog out.

“If I would have took him out none of this would have happened,” she said.

Fire consumed the house at 266 W. Cottage Ave., killing both dogs. Everyone managed to escape. A 17-year-old visiting her son was burned and flown to a hospital.

“He is in fair condition. He is going to be OK. He’s dealing with the burns,” she said.

Russell said “it was a normal night.”

Six people lived at the home: Nicole; her fiance and father of her children Frederick King, 50; her son Isaiah Russell, 21; and daughters Alyzah Russell, 18; Jazlynn King, 15; and Royalty Russell, 3.

Her daughter Alyzah was not home at the time, but the other family members were.

She said everyone went to sleep around 10:30 p.m. except for her.

“I heard a pop noise,” she said before she went downstairs to investigate.

In addition to the candle, a pot of water was on the stove, but the burners were off, she said.

“I never got my head in the kitchen,” she said because of the smoke and flames.

She woke everyone to get out.

Family members tried to re-enter the home to save the dogs but it wasn’t possible.

The Schuylkill County Communications Center received a call about the fire at 11:54 p.m. Monday.

When firefighters arrived on scene, heavy fire was visible.

Tamaqua Fire Chief James Connely said the cause of the fire is accidental, with State Police Trooper John Burns ruling the origin was in the first-floor kitchen. The home did have working smoke detectors.

Neither the homeowner nor the renter had insurance. Russell believes they had renters insurance at one time but for whatever reason didn’t when the fire happened. The cause of the fire has not been determined.

Russell said she is happy her family is alive. She is staying at a hotel with her fiance and their youngest child. The other children are staying with family members.

Donations for the family are being collected by God’s Providing Hands Food Pantry Coaldale. Nonperishable food items, clothing and personal hygiene products can be dropped off at 149 Second St., Coaldale, on the porch. Call 570-463-0024 with questions.

Russell said she does not know where the family will stay for the long term.

“I just need to be able to have a roof over my kids’ head,” she said.