A few hours ago a big fire broke out in M… See more

They watched their city disappear behind a wall of smoke and flashing blue lights, forced to abandon homes and memories to the mercy of the flames. Parents clutched children wrapped in blankets, staring at a skyline they no longer recognized. Some learned from neighbors that their buildings were gone before any official word arrived, while others waited in agonizing silence, refreshing news feeds for a glimpse of their street.

Inside the cordoned-off zone, firefighters moved through heat and debris, battling exhaustion as much as the fire itself. Volunteers arrived with water, food, and spare clothes, turning parking lots into makeshift shelters. Officials promised answers, but for now, uncertainty ruled: where people would sleep, what could be saved, and how a single night could redraw the map of an entire community. Amid the smoke, one fragile certainty remained—no one would forget what they saw.