TWIN FALLS - It was a year ago when a Christmas tree fire took the Niska family'* home.

One year later and, once again, they're looking for a new place to live.

The family'* apartment was destroyed Wednesday in a blaze that stole their home - and their hopes for a happy Christmas.

Fire crews responded to their apartment at the corner of Fairfield Street and Wall Avenue about 3:30 p.m. Flames had already engulfed the second-floor living space. The residence sits above a business, Key Distributors Inc., a seed supplier, that also eventually burned.

All available Twin Falls crews responded to the blaze - a fire that blew a 55-gallon barrel 100 feet in the air and two blocks away more than 2 ½ hours after it started.

"I was so scared," said DeeAnn Niska, who escaped with her two youngest children, 5-year-old Hannah and 3-year-old Noah. "We're just lucky to be alive."

Her two other children were at school during the fire.

Niska, who is nine months pregnant and expected to deliver in six days, was changing Noah'* diaper on the living room floor when, she said, the room became dark and she noticed smoke near the ceiling.

She grabbed her children and attempted to escape through the front door. But the door was too hot to open, so Niska and the children stepped onto a second-floor balcony and began screaming for help.

Workers at nearby businesses heard her frantic cries and positioned a ladder against the burning building as Hannah shrieked, "I don't want to die." The family escaped with no injuries.

One Key employee, Jelean Hale, was on the main level when the fire broke out. She also escaped with no injuries.

At the scene, Twin Falls police Sgt. John Wilson said the fire started in the apartment but he was unsure of the details.

Electricity was shut off to much of downtown for about two hours starting about 3:45 p.m.

By 7:15 p.m., dozens of people had gathered to watch fire crews battle the blaze. Flames could be seen as far away as the U.*. 93 interchange near Filer.

Niska said a different fire burned the home she and her husband, Martin, occupied last year when their Christmas tree ignited.

Martin Niska is an employee at Key.

The family said they didn't know what they were going to do after this fire consumed their home and all their possessions so close to Christmas.

"I don't know," DeeAnn Niska said. "But I'm sure God will provide."

Oh my! What horrible luck. So is that whats in the background of your pictures then?

Cool pics, Hans. I loved seeing your car in person too. That think just looks so sleek and clean.

not trying to bust on you, but you have two holes in your grill.

Just kidding...... I really like that car, hole in the grill and crooked plate and all.

That'* a shame on the story about the fire.....

BTW...... are you still considering selling it(or am I mixing it up with another Bonnie from the For Sale board)? It'd be tough for me to part with it if it were mine.

beautiful pics. Welcome to the COTM club.

yeah I've decided to hold on to it...My new exhuast tips should be here any day now.

As far a the grille....welcome to winter, I have the old grille that has holes too lol.

Looking for another...yet again.

the roof the roof the roof is on fire... we dont need no water let the mother $%$%^ burn... burn mother $%^$%^ burn....

good tune from the blood hound gang.... check it out...

You know.... That almost looks like a seen out of Rescue Me :?

Hans, I know this would be totally ghetto, but you have 2 grilles right? Could you "splice" some good grille material into the pattern to replace the holes in the current grille? Maybe some JB weld, a little sanding and some paint would work? It may totally not be worth it but it just came to mind

I guess if it doesn't work you can get a new grille again anyway...