Charmon Isom and her husband, Akeem, came back from a wonderful day of Christmas shopping. They had four very enthusiastic children who hurried indoors while they discussed where to store the gifts.
Just minutes later, flames ripped through the family’s living room – after their Christmas tree caught fire.
Their sons, DJ, aged eleven, and Little, aged six, managed to slip out through the garage. Sadly, Annie, seven, and Aalijah, two, were unable to get out and lost their lives.
The reason for the fire is still a mystery, but the fire department believes it might have been caused by a spark from faulty wiring in the outlet where the Christmas tree lights were plugged in.
Now, nearly a year on, Charmon, 31, from California, US, is speaking out about the unimaginable loss to encourage home owners to check their electrics and practice fire safety.
The mother-of-five says: “I’m appealing to other families to have their electrics checked and smoke alarms fitted and tested.
“I’ll never get over losing my beautiful girls that day. If one life is saved from speaking out about what happened, it’ll be their lasting legacy.”
Excited for Santa
For the family, the festive season was a big deal in their home.
Every December they’d spend hours decorating their Christmas tree and on the big day, the kids would receive a basket of presents.
Charmon says: “Each summer the kids would write their lists to Santa as it gave us enough time to save money for presents.
“We worked hard to provide for our blended family of eight.”
In December last year, Charmon picked out her Christmas tree as usual.
The children decorated it with gold, white and silver baubles.
Charmon remembers: “Within a week, Annie and Aalijah had eaten all the candy canes on the bottom branches.
“They were so cheeky.”
The following week, with their children in school and Aalijah in nursery, Charmon and Akeem went Christmas shopping.
After collecting Annie, Aalijah, DJ and Little, they headed home.
‘Knew she was gone’
Inside, Akeem, 32 plugged in the tree lights, while the children started their homework.
Charmon says: “With the car boot filled with presents, I needed to hide them, so I called for Akeem to come outside.
“We’d only been outside for a matter of minutes when I spotted thick smoke coming from the living room window.
“I grabbed Akeem’s arm and ran to the front door, but it was too hot.”
Fire safety tips for Christmas
1. Choose Flame-Resistant Decorations: Opt for non-flammable or flame-resistant materials when selecting your Christmas decorations to minimise the risk of fire.
2. Inspect Lights Carefully: Before stringing lights, check for frayed wires, broken bulbs, and loose connections. Replace any damaged lights immediately.
3. Avoid Overloading Sockets: Do not overload electrical sockets or extension leads with too many plugs. Use surge protectors and ensure that your electrical system can handle the load.
4. Keep Real Trees Hydrated: If you have a real Christmas tree, ensure it is well-watered to prevent it from drying out and becoming a fire hazard. Dry trees can ignite easily.
5. Position Decorations Safely: Keep decorations, especially those that are flammable, away from heat sources such as radiators, fireplaces, and candles.
6. Turn Off Lights When Unattended: Always turn off Christmas lights and other electrical decorations when you leave the house or go to bed to reduce the risk of fire.
7. Use Candles with Caution: If you use candles, place them in stable holders and keep them away from decorations and other flammable materials. Never leave candles unattended.
8. Install Smoke Alarms: Ensure that your home is equipped with working smoke alarms on every level. Test them regularly and replace batteries as needed.
9. Have an Emergency Plan: Make sure your family knows what to do in case of a fire. Plan and practise an escape route and keep emergency numbers handy.
By following these tips, you can enjoy a safe and festive holiday season.
The couple ran round the back of the house and saw DJ and Little pile out of the garage door, with DJ shouting “The tree’s on fire!”
Charmon says: “Determined to get the girls, I got down on my hands and knees and started to crawl into the garage.
“But the black wall of smoke hit me. I screamed out for Annie and she shouted ‘Mum’!
“When I called out to Aalijah there was no answer.”
Seeing her little body covered in burns was horrific…Watching him carry her lifeless body to the ambulance, I knew she was gone.
Charmon Isom
Desperate to get them out, Charmon tried every window but they wouldn’t open.
She even tried to smash them with rocks.
Moments later the fire service arrived and firefighters entered the home.
Within minutes they brought out Annie, barely breathing.
Charmon remembers: “Seeing her little body covered in burns was horrific.
“While they worked on her in the ambulance, Aalijah was carried out soon after.
“The fire fighter told me he’d found her hiding under a blanket.
“Watching him carry her lifeless body to the ambulance, I knew she was gone.”
Funeral for two
The girls were blue-lighted to Barstow Hospital and when Charmon and Akeem arrived, they were told Annie had suffered third-degree burns to her body and face.
Devastatingly, a doctor informed them Aalijah had passed away.
Charmon says: “My heart shattered and I collapsed into Akeem’s arms.”
But the pair barely had time to process the horrific news, as Annie was being airlifted to UEI Medical Center.
There she was placed into an induced coma and doctors confirmed further tests were needed to see if she still had brain activity.
Three days on, the consultant delivered the news that no brainwaves were detected, so she wouldn’t survive.
Charmon says: “Akeem and I broke down, unable to believe we’d lost two children.
“While we tried to comfort each other, the doctor asked if we would consider donating her organs. I agreed as it would have been what she wanted.”
The next day, the family said their goodbyes.
On the day of the transplant, just two days before Christmas, Charmon and Akeem walked Annie down to theatre with Stevie Wonder’s, Isn’t She Lovely, playing out over the hospital speakers.
While the pair grieved their enormous loss, they were homeless.
The fire had completely gutted the house so the family stayed with Charmon’s mum.
Warning for others
The next month, the girls’ funerals were held and thanks to community fundraising, the family were able to move into a new home.
Charmon says: “We filled the house with pictures of the girls, putting a huge poster in the living room of them together.
“We even had blankets made with their faces on for the other kids to sleep with.”
Now Charmon is encouraging families to ensure their homes have working smoke alarms and that electrics are tested for any faults or dodgy wiring.
She explains: “We didn’t realise there was no smoke detector fitted in the house we rented. If there had been, we might have got a warning and been able to get everyone out.
“Please, make sure your homes are safe and practice fire safety with your children.
“With Annie and Aalijah gone, our lives will never be the same again, but I’m determined my beautiful angels will never be forgotten.”
To help the family please donate here: Fundraiser by Charmon Isom : Annie and Aalijah Isom (gofundme.com)
