Two families involved in the hair-raising house fire and amazing rescues in Windsor, N.S., are sharing their first-hand accounts of the heroic actions that may have saved their lives.

All nine people narrowly escaped with just the clothes on the backs after a fire ripped through their house early Thursday morning.

“She came in through the back door and ran up our stairs and into our bedroom and woke us up,” Janelle Sparks said of her wake-up call from neighbor Denise Chandler on Thursday morning.

It’s one she’ll never forget.

Chandler was already awake and got her kids out safely, then ran next door.

“I ran up their stairs as I'm yelling and I physically woke Janelle and them up and went back to my children,” Chandler said.

As the fire quickly spread, Sparks and her family were trapped on the second-storey balcony.

The mother of two says her fiancée began lowering their children to firefighters waiting below.

“He passed our oldest down first cause I came out with him in his car-seat, and then he passed him down, and then he went back in to get the dog,” Sparks said.

Sparks used a small shed to get down to safety.

She can't thank her neighbour enough. 

“If it wasn't for Denise, you don't know what the outcome would have been,” Sparks said. “I’m forever thankful for her, because if it wasn't for her, I don't want to know ... I don't even want to think about what could have possibly happened.”

Chandler said her reaction was instinctive.

“I did what I knew I had to,” she said. “There was no time to think, so it was just … I just did it.”

Less than 48 hours later, the women are trying to figure out how they'll start over.

They lost everything and GoFundMe pages have been created for the families. The one for Janelle Sparks and her family can be found here, while the one for Denise Chandler and her family can be found here.

Businesses in Windsor are collecting donations.

“It just hit close to home, knowing the kids go to school with my kids,” said store owner Michelle Jodrey.

Sparks has two boys, a six month old and a five year old, while Chandler has four children; three girls aged 16, 12 and 10, and a five-year-old boy.

Both mothers say they're grateful for all the support they've already received.

“Thank you everyone for being here for us and supporting us, and giving everything -- everything counts,” Chandler said.

Knowing material items can be replaced, they're focusing on how fortunate they were as they rebuild their lives.

Transport Canada tells us they have dispatched a team of investigators to Windsor. It's believed the fire started in one of the cars.

Officials with Transport Canada say they will work with the local fire department to help identify a cause.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Suzette Belliveau.