Flames twice as tall as the home had a fast head start on responding firefighters.
SAN ANTONIO — Less than 24 hours after a fast-moving fire ripped through a south-San Antonio family home, the neighbors came together to help the family on the road to recovery.
An online fund has been launched to help a couple whose house was the scene of a roaring fire Wednesday evening.
The calls for help started around 6:30 pm.
Neighbor Alexis said she heard pops, saw smoke and couldn’t believe what was happening just a few doors away.
“I know five different people called 911, so everybody was quick to act as soon as they saw the flames and heard everybody screaming,” she said.
Across the street, Armando said, “We heard little explosions and my mom saw the whole house was orange and in flames.”
Armando went on to say the husband of the woman who owns the home gave everyone a scare when he came out of the house.
“Her husband came outside screaming she was still in the house, and we know she has health problems, so we panicked. We really panicked. We really did get scared for her,” Armando said, adding they were filled with relief when the woman drove up to the house a few minutes later and they realized she was safe.
Alexis said her boyfriend jumped a fence and grabbed a garden hose to keep the flames from spreading to the house next door.
Julia, who lives several houses away, said one woman called a neighbor who does shift work because they knew she was asleep.
“That was a big fire!” she said. “And this neighbor next door was asleep so the neighbor across the street had to call her to wake up and tell her to get out of there. The woman ran out and had to move her car to get it away from the flames.”
Cell phone video recorded by another neighbor showed flames almost twice as tall as the home, with a wooden carport collapsing when the fire became too intense.
Firefighters say they were able to bring the blaze under control in under 15 minutes. A cause has not yet been established, but investigators are looking into the matter.
Armando said their thoughts now are on what can be done to help the family on a street where many of the homes are now nurturing second and third generations. He said what wasn’t destroyed by fire was damaged by smoke and water.
“Everybody is so close. We know everybody by their first name. I mean, we were here since I was 7 years old and we know everybody,” Armando said. “As soon as something like this happens and we know that one of us could help, we don’t even think about it, we jump straight into it!”
Armando said the couple has never hesitated to help others, even while battling health issues.
“They grew up with us, and they were there for my sister’s baby shower, so we’re more than ready to help with anything because it’s a big mess!”
Alexis, who also grew up on the block, said she takes comfort in knowing people will respond to the couple’s plight.
“I would say people from maybe about six houses ran outside as soon as the fire engulfed the home,” Alexis said. “This neighborhood is really good at coming together and being there for one another. Everybody comes outside as soon as they see somebody struggling or they see somebody is in need of help.”
Alexis said the owner lost all of her medications and a lifetime of memories.
“They’re going to need as much help as they can get, with getting her back on her medicines and getting a new place to stay,” Alexis said.
Surveying the damage, Armando said many neighbors have talked about gratitude that there were no injuries.
“It’s a good thing everybody was outside the house, and everybody is okay because this 100% could have gone 1,000 times worse!”