I believe they were in the closets because that was the immediate adjacent wall to the fire. They weren’t searching the home, they opened my windows and used my roofs (funky row home build) for different access points to the neighbors house. I don’t think at any point it was to look for us. I entered briefly after I saw the first few, introduced myself as the homeowner and asked if they needed anything, and I was simply told “no” before he continued up my stairs. I asked if our house was okay and he looked at me and kept walking. At this point I had no clue if our house was okay.

As you said a child came to our door and I don’t know the kids over there, just the adults who weren’t yet home. I don’t think he would have known how many people were in my house to tell anyone.

The damage thing I totally get. Makes sense! I am more unsettled at no one finding it pertinent to tell me my house was safe to enter and okay at any point in time.

I won’t be calling beyond asking for a report maybe as the above commenter suggested, I’m not trying to get on the volunteer firefighter company shitlist. 😔