Family starts recovery process after extensive fire damage to Southwest Side home

SAN ANTONIO – A homeowner and her family are picking up the pieces after a fire spread throughout their home early Wednesday evening.

The homeowner, who wished to remain anonymous, realized shortly after returning home with her children that her house was on fire.

“When I pulled into the neighborhood, I saw fire trucks everywhere. I thought something happened at a neighbor’s house,” the woman said.

Before she learned crews had spent an hour putting out the fire, she searched for her teen daughter, who had stayed home that evening.

“Apparently, she had woken up, heard the smoke detectors going off, and she was going to go out her bedroom door, but it was too smoky,” the woman explained.

She said her daughter made a quick decision to get to safety.

“She went out the window, and they were able to get her off the roof. And they examined her, and she was completely fine,” she said.

While she’s grateful her children and husband are safe, she is worried her home is beyond repair.

“The ceiling was burnt through. It’s really bad — all the cupboards, everything was burned up,” the woman told KSAT.

Outside of finding shelter and planning a way to recover necessities like clothes and food, her family is mourning the loss of their pet.

“I have four dogs and a cat, and they all made it out except for my cat, Fin,” the woman said.

For those who would like to give to the family, the family needs food, toiletries, girls’ juniors’ size six in tops and bottoms, teen boys size 12/14 and 30 to 34, adult size large t-shirts, women 12/14 and men’s size 34. Email reporter Allysa Cole at acole@ksat.com.