A deadly fire tore through an London apartment block last week, killing at least 17 people and sending dozens to the hospital. But one gay couple who lost everything they owned in the Grenfell Tower blaze avoided losing their lives because of a special occasion.

Jules Ng, 30, told Gay Star News that he was in a hotel in Crawley on work when the fire started, and his boyfriend, 29-year-old Lee Stewart, had decided to join him the night before.

"On Tuesday night, my boyfriend came to the hotel because it was his birthday yesterday [Wednesday]—the day of the fire. Thank God he did."

Ng recounted receiving a missed call from their landlord at 3am on the night of the fire.

"The vibrations woke us up, and my boyfriend called back to ask what was going on. That’s how we found out what happened. I went to check online, and we saw the videos and articles. We saw our building burning down. It was horrific. I just thought, 'Oh my god. Is it happening? Am I seeing this right? We’re here, but think of the people inside! It’s the middle of the night, people are trapped? Our possessions, our home.'"

Seeing their home burn down was horrifying but Ng said they were more focused on their neighbors' safety. Friends, family, and colleagues have offered Ng and Stewart support and places to stay.

And while the couple are grateful to be alive and safe, some things can't be replaced.

"I’ve got gifts from my 18th and 21st birthday that are probably lost," says Ng. "They were watches from my family, really beautiful watches. I barely wore them because I loved them. My boyfriend lost his LP records. He’s a big Michael Jackson fan, and he’s got lots of memorabilia. We’ve both lost personal laptops, and all of our clothes."

A JustGiving page has been set up to help the couple replace clothing and other necessities, and the Kensington and Chelsea Foundation is raising funds for all victims of the blaze.

The cause of the fire hasn't been determined yet, but some residents claim faulty wiring was to blame. Authorities are also investigating the lack of sprinklers and insufficient fire exits.