SAN ANTONIO – An electrical problem is believed to be the cause of a fire at a home on Wyoming Street that sent an East side man outdoors on one of the coldest mornings of the season so far.
The fire at the home at Wyoming and Gevers streets broke out around 5:30 a.m. Wednesday, while Enrique Devers was still asleep.
He said it was only due to a knock on the door that he woke up and made it out safely.
"My landlord knocked on the door," Devers said, "and I looked at the front and saw the whole side of the house on fire from the outside. So I just put on my clothes and got out of there."
While he made it out safely, most of what he left behind was damaged by either the fire, or the water used to extinguish the flames.
Devers said he had only moved into the home recently, after relocating to San Antonio from California.
"I came out here earlier this year. I just moved into this house this month, on the first," he said.
Fire investigators said it appeared the fire was accidental, sparked by an electrical problem.
Among the ashes were traces of wrapping paper from Devers' Christmas celebration.
The fire forced him outdoors on a morning when temperatures had dipped below the freezing point. Droplets of water used to put out the fire had turned to ice and still hung from the home's burned eaves hours later.
In spite of his post-holiday hardship, Devers said he remains hopeful, and grateful that he survived.
"I'm very blessed to be out (of the home)," he said. "God will see me through it. He'll make a way."