Portsmouth, Virginia - Two families are displaced after a fire severely damaged their home Monday morning.
Firefighters were called to the duplex in the 2100 block of Des Moines Avenue just before 6:00am.
Fire officials say the fire started in the upstairs unit but do not yet have a cause.
Everyone made it out safely. No one was injured.
Crystal Mann was among the 6 people who made it out. She said she was sleeping in her downstairs unit when her neighbor came banging on her door.
She had time to grab her kids and a couple of blankets. Despite the devastation to her home, she says there's a brighter side to look to.
"I was able to get everyone out. Everyone is safe. I would rather be cold than not alive," said Mann.
