A young mother has relived a terrifying brush with tragedy when her daughter's room caught fire with the infant inside.
Mae Short found her 17-month-old daughter Margot surrounded by smoke and covered in black soot after a powerboard overloaded early last Friday.
The Sydney mum, who lives in Manly, described feeling "true and utter panic" when she heard Margot cough and realised what was happening.
![The mother of two found her daughter's room full of smoke and the infant still inside. Image / Screenshot](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/2IYWO5NNJYVT4IJ7UZGIBY5RDY.jpg?auth=8ae41d1b8623aa6db5bbec6da8c1091dfb1e1798625c833ae1f3a23adc561243&width=16&height=12&quality=70&smart=true)
"Her room was just full of smoke, like soot, it was really thick. I couldn't see her, or couldn't see anything in there," Short told Channel 9.