SAN ANTONIO – A water heater is being blamed for a fire that an elderly woman was lucky to escape Friday evening.
Adelaida Lucy Garza, 86, escaped her home of 55 years with the two most important things in her arms -- her dog and her purse.
With her 4-year-old Chihuahua, Pepe, in her arms and daughters by her side, Garza was in good spirits Friday after the fire.
"It was meant to happen. For some reason, God wanted it to happen. I'm happy that I'm still here, I thank God for that," said Garza.
The fire started late Friday afternoon in the 6100 block a Macdona Street on the South Side. Firefighters said a faulty hot water heater is to blame for the fire. Fortunately, crews arrived on the scene and managed to get the fire under control right away.
Garza, who does alterations for a living, said she's sad she lost her sewing machine in the fire -- a machine her late husband bought her 50 years ago.
"I've always been doing alterations all those years with that same machine and it was working perfect all that time," said Garza.
Fire damage is estimated at $100,000. Fortunately for Garza, she has homeowner's insurance and plans to rebuild.
"Because a lot of people lose everything because they don't have insurance, but I had insurance enough to cover what I had, whatever I lost," said Garza.
Her daughter, Monica Garza, is just glad her mom is OK.
"Just to see her perfect and OK, that's all that matters. So we'll rebuild, we'll do what we can. We just love our mother, we're just glad she's OK," said Monica Garza.