A couple narrowly escaped death in the East Village explosion when they left their uninsured and now-incinerated  apartment to pick up some cupcakes minutes before the blast. Sara Stringfield and her boyfriend Rob Torti, 36, had a fun romantic day planned to celebrate Sara’s 31st birthday. Never did the lovebirds expect that they'd lose thousands of dollars worth of clothing and electronic devices, irreplaceable sentimental items, zany costumes, and the home they were finally able to share together after dating long distance for almost half a year. Scroll down for video . All loved up: Sara Stringfield, 31, and Rob Torti, 36, pictured at their East Village home where Sara just moved after months of the pair dating long distance . Cupcakes saved her life! : Sara and her boyfriend Rob celebrated Sara's birthday on Thursday and went to get cupcakes at Baked by Melissa just minutes before the giant explosion in the East Village . When Rob met Sara at the festival Burning Man in Black, Rock City Nevada in August of 2014 she set his heart on fire and the two began visiting one another for just a few days at a time in New York City where Rob lived and in Idaho where Sara resided. It wasn't until recently that Sara left her residence in Idaho to live with Rob in the East Village in a home that's now nothing but soot and ash. 'We don't need anything. We have each other,' Sara told Dailymail.com. 'That's all we've got,' added Rob. Thursday morning started out bright with yoga and a big delicious brunch. At around 2:30 p.m. the couple went home to 45 East 7th street to relax until Sara got a phone call from a friend saying that there were cupcakes waiting for her at Baked by Melissa. No more: Sara and Rob lived at 45 East 7th street on the corner of the block and the nearby explosion set fire to their building with no longer stands . Decimated: Rubble and soot is all that remains of Sara and Rob's East Village home after the explosion . Sara and Rob left their apartment on a mission to pick up some sweet treats. That decision may have saved their life. As they walked back home down Lafayette street after indulging in a birthday snack, they heard sirens and saw billows of smoke in the air. The explosion occurred at Sushi Park restaurant at 121 Second Avenue at 3:20 p.m. It soon sent the entire block alight and caused neighboring buildings to burn and collapse. Fiery romance: Rob met Sara at the music festival Burning Man and the two struck up a kinship that developed into a deep romance and had just moved in together after dating long distance . Festival and beyond: When Rob met Sara at Burning Man he knew she was special and continued to contact her following the festival and their interactions grew more frequent and meaningful . Love of costumes: Rob and Sara both enjoy making costumes and wearing them together at events . At least 22 people were injured in the incident, including four critically, two of whom were taken to New York-Presbyterian Hospital Cornell suffering from burns to their airways. The five first responders - among them four firefighters and an EMS worker - also sustained minor injuries. Two people have been reported missing: 23-year-old Nicholas Figueroa, who was on a date at the sushi restaurant, and Moises Lucon, who was a bus boy there, have not been found. It wasn't before long on Thursday that Sara and Rob learned their house was on fire  when they saw photos on Facebook of the windows in their building engulfed in flames. Zany: The couple lost all of their many costumes they've created and Rob even made a special helmet for Sara's birthday that was also lost in the fire . Lost: Many of Sara and Rob's elaborate creations that took hours to make were lost in the fire . Warriors: Rob and Sara love dressing as warriors and other crazy characters for festivals and events . The couple waited for half the day in uncertainty but felt blessed to receive calls from friends and family offering up their homes as a place to stay for the time being. Inside the burning house was a birthday gift Rob made for Sara, a military helmet designed with both a Mohawk and a heart. Sadly, he never got to give it to her. Rob and Sara share a love of making costumes and spend hours designing and sewing their colourful and eccentric frocks that they wear at events and at Burning Man. All of those items were lost inside the home. They have each other: Sara and Rob may have lost their many costumes but they still have their fun spirit . Before the fire: Sara and Rob, pictured on Thursday on a morning birthday outing, never expected they'd lose literally everything they have . Sara, a lawyer, told DailyMail.com that she lost a valuable necklace given to her by her father made of pyrite, a gift to remind her that, 'all that glitters is not gold.' Sara wore the necklace as a good luck charm when she was studying for her bar exam and it pains her to lose something that gave her so much strength at a defining time in her life. Sara told Dailymail.com that it’s not material things that matter most but that the real 'gold' is friends and family. Frog prince? : The couple are sad to have lost so many things but together they are determined to find a solution and find a new home . She described being overwhelmed when going into a store with Rob to get some basic clothing items like socks and underwear for the next few days. ‘I’m not sure I want more stuff,’ Sara said. ‘I looked at the clothes and thought, “is this something I really need?" Rob who was in the budding phases of starting his tequila company Zarandea Tequila and spent a lot of his time working from home lost bottle designs, important work documents, and other valuable essentials for starting his brand. For the time being Sara and Rob are staying with one of Rob’s friends from college but that is merely a temporary solution. Rob never got renter’s insurance because he’s only been living at his home for a few months so he may not get anything back from the building in damages. Rob moved into the apartment in November and while he planned on getting insurance, he hadn't gotten around to it yet. Friends set up a Youcaring.com account to raise a goal of $15,000 to help the pair get back on their feet. So far they’ve raised just over $4,000. Those who wish to donate may do so here. Despite losing their home, Rob and Sara say they feel so blessed that they are not alone. The have love from friends, from family, and last but not least they have the flame that burns for one another.
Sara Stringfield, 31, and her boyfriend Rob Torti, 36, left their apartment to get cupcakes for Sara's birthday just minutes before the explosion . Rob and Sara don't have renter's insurance and lost everything they own . Rob and Sara met at Burning Man and had been dating long distance until recently when Sara left Idaho to live with Rob in New York City . Friends of Rob and Sara set up a Youcaring.com to raise money to help them get back up on their feet .