Family escapes NE Side house fire

SAN ANTONIO – A Northeast Side family is counting their blessings after escaping from their home as it went up in flames.

Fire officials said they found flames shooting from the garage roof when they arrived at about 6:30 p.m. Sunday to the family's home in the 16500 block of Hunting Glen.

Shaun Rhodes, his wife and two children rushed to safety as their home became engulfed in flames.

"(We were) having family time, having dinner and next thing you know, the neighbor comes banging on the door," Rhodes said. "I don't know where he went. He lives a couple of houses down from us but he comes banging on the (door) frantically, saying the house was on fire."

Rhodes described the situation as surreal.

"I've never been through a fire before and nobody is my family's ever been through a fire," Rhodes said.

Fire officials said it appears that the fire started inside the garage.

The family's pet Chihuahua and a pet lizard died during the fire but another pet dog survived.

"He's a Jack Russell. He was in the backyard. I knew he would be OK because he's a smart dog," Rhodes said.

Arson investigators were called to try and figure out what caused the flames.

Rhodes and his family will stay with his father until they can figure out where to go next.

"I get upset about small things, not so much about a disaster like this," he said. "My first thought is (that) I got my family out. We have insurance on everything. I got my family out, that's the main thing."


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