New home for grateful family

Tori Annan and partner Blair Falleni have moved into their new home with daughter Sienna thanks to support from the local community. Photo / Paul Taylor

Tori Annan is settling her month-old baby into their new home thanks to the generosity of Hawke's Bay people.

The 20-year-old said it was "amazing" how the community responded after a fire gutted her home a month before her first child was due.

"It would not have been possible without the generosity of people we did not even know who gave furniture, clothes and money," Ms Annan said.

The couple had been inundated with baby products which they were still receiving in the lead up to Christmas.

"Words cannot express how thankful we are for all the help we got from friends, workmates, family and total strangers."

She and partner Blair Falleni welcomed their first child Sienna into the world on November 27. They moved into their new Tamatea home a week later.

However, the stress of the fire took its toll on Ms Annan and her unborn baby. "I went back to work for a couple of days but, being heavily pregnant and stressed at the time, I had to focus on my health and her health.

"Sienna stopped moving and I had to be monitored all the time, she ended up coming a week early because she was so stressed out."

It was a traumatic birth and it took her a minute and a half to take her first breath, Ms Annan said.

"It felt like hours."

But Sienna recovered fully and is now a healthy, happy little girl.

"I love it [motherhood] even the 1am nappy changes," Ms Annan said.

Thoughts of the October fire still linger in Ms Annan's mind.

Ms Annan had been out picking up a few groceries and returned home to house engulfed in flames. Neighbours called the Fire Service just before 7pm on October 25.

"I just stood there wondering what I could do."

Fire crews fought the blaze for about an hour and a half but the damage was done.

"We lost absolutely everything.

"It's so scary to see how it can happen so fast."

Childhood photos were the only "irreplaceable" item lost in the blaze. "No one got hurt which was the main thing."

Ms Annan said she was still unsure what caused the fire and as a result had become more cautious.

The couple were so overwhelmed by the response from the public that they hope they can repay it in some way.

"If people ever come to us in times of need, we will pay it forward," Ms Annan said.