Family Suffering from 'Loss of Smell' Due to Post-COVID Symptoms Escapes Fire Thanks to Uninfected Daughter

Published 23 Jan.2021 14:05(KST)

Updated 23 Jan.2021 18:20(KST)

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The residence of the Rivera family swept away by the wildfire. Photo by WBTV News, USA (Twitter capture)

[Asia Economy Reporter Hana Na] A family in the United States who lost their sense of smell due to infection with the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) narrowly escaped a fire thanks to their daughter, the only member who had not contracted the virus.

According to NBC News on the 22nd (local time), a fire broke out around 2:30 a.m. on the 15th at a single-story house in Waco, Texas.

The house was shared by the family of Adrian Ramirez (45), consisting of four members, and the family of Carlos Rivera (41), consisting of six members, who were temporarily staying there while looking for a new home to move into.

At the time of the fire, the Rivera couple had gone out for early morning work, and inside the house engulfed in flames were Rivera’s second daughter Bianca (19), Rivera’s eldest daughter and her husband with their 15-month-old grandson, the Ramirez couple, and their two teenage children, all asleep.

Except for Bianca, all of them were suffering from post-COVID-19 symptoms of anosmia, so they were unaware of the fire.

However, Bianca, who was the only one not infected with COVID-19, fortunately still had her sense of smell. She woke up after smelling burning plastic, confirmed the fire, and immediately woke her family to evacuate.

Recalling the tense situation, Bianca said, "When I woke up and went outside the room, the hallway was filled with smoke. Seeing the entire entrance area of the house engulfed in flames, I realized that I had to get everyone out of the house."

Bianca sustained minor burns while running through the flames to save her family but expressed gratitude that everyone was safe.