"If we were five minutes late ... I don't think I would be here today."
Fifteen-year-old Wasay Ashiq surveys the damage to his parents' shop Jazaa Halal Foods in Belconnen. An explosion on Monday night has left it decimated.
He stands in the spot he would usually be sitting in. It is covered in debris, dust and the burnt remnants of his family's business.
A cracked fridge full of warm soft drinks flickers nearby. The Turkish Kebab and Pizza Shop's registration certificate has somehow managed to survive the blast, sitting framed and upright on the floor.
Wasay walks over to the back of the kebab shop and points to a blackened bench. Part of a brick wall remains next to it, the doors on either side having been blasted to smithereens.
"This is where the fire started, over here. This is where the explosion [happened]," he explains.
"And within seconds, the whole building was on fire."
ACT police say they don't know what caused the explosion yet and don't believe there are any suspicious circumstances.
Man who said he saved friend from Belconnen fire speaks out
Wasay is with his dad Mohammad Ikram, older brother Adnan Rao, and the owner of the kebab shop. It's about 7.30pm on Monday, they've just closed up and are chatting in the parking lot.
The kebab shop owner realises he's left something inside. He goes to get it, leaving his two young sons in the car.
He turns the key to the shop, and within seconds the air vibrates and fills with smoke. Flames leap from the building. Something has exploded.
"No less than five seconds, the whole building just blows up ... He's still in the building, and the kids are in the car," Wasay says.
The teenager calls for his dad to rescue the man and dashes to the car with the two children. He says the vehicle was later destroyed, building debris crushing it. He calls triple zero.
"You couldn't see anything; there was just smoke, fire everywhere. You don't know what's happening. The first thing my brain just clicks on - he's still in the building, get him out," Wasay says.
Mohammad pulls his "melting" friend from the blazing shop.
"Hair fully burnt, arms white when your skin gets burnt. His hand, the skins just dangling down on both hands. He was wearing jeans, thick jeans that saved his legs, but they were really hot, hotter than a grill," Wasay says.
"His hair all melting, everything burnt."
The man is hospitalised, but he is still alive.
On Thursday, Wasay helps his dad place salvaged stock in the business van.
He hasn't slept in 48 hours, he says.
Mohammed heaves bags and collects tins, placing them neatly in the gutter for Wasay to collect. He is careful not to disturb the fragile infrastructure inside, afraid what is left of the roof will collapse.
He says he had invested around $200,000 into the business.
On Wednesday afternoon, he calls NRMA to ask about insurance. He's only got basic insurance, the lady on the phone says.
It won't cover anything.
Mohammed says he has fielded calls from Canberrans offering to fundraise and donate, but he won't take any money.
"I don't need any charity or anything. I just need the moral support from the community," he says.
He asks the community to follow his business on social media. He will try and sell what stock has survived online before rebuilding the shop. It may take months, even years.
Wasay says he doesn't care about the business. He waves his hand around at the ruins.
"Life is more worthy, it's more special than this," he says.
"We could make 10 more shops after this. It's the life that's more special."
- You can follow Jazaa Halal Foods on Facebook
