SAN ANTONIO – San Antonio firefighters say it appears a water heater is what sparked a fire in an East Side home Tuesday causing extensive damage.
Three members of a family who lived in the home, located in the 400 block of Sterling, have been displaced.
Firefighters say the father woke up to what he thought was his cats playing around inside the home.
Instead, the popping noise turned out to be the sound of fire.
They say the man, who is in a wheelchair, was met by a wall of smoke as he rolled toward the hallway of his home.
He was able to turn around and bang on the doors of the bedrooms where his wife and daughter were sleeping.
All of them made it out safely.
Firefighters put out the fire but they say it caused heavy damage to the home.
They say the family will stay with relatives for now but it may be some time before they can return home.