SAN ANTONIO – A family of six is safe after a fire tore through their South Side home on Sunday morning.
San Antonio firefighters rushed to Paul Villalpando’s home after 9 a.m. on Stonewall Avenue near Interstate 35.
“I just heard some noises, and when I went to investigate, my whole backyard deck was on fire,” Villalpando said.
Villalpando and his wife were in the front room when the fire started. He said he ran through the house to make sure his four other family members got out safely.
“I was going to attempt to put it out, but the flames were too intense, and before I knew it, my house was burned out,” he said.
Villalpando said his home is now a total loss.
“I just think, ‘Man, good thing we were out of here, because, you know, if we had been asleep or something, it could have been rough,’” he said.
Neighbors on the South Side quickly rallied around the family, offering support and a place to stay.
“I think if anything that touched me the most, that they were just there for me,” Villalpando said. ”So honestly, that’s what really got me a little touched. I felt special that they would come out here and really support us that way.”
Villalpando said investigators have not confirmed the cause of the fire but are looking at electrical issues as a possibility. No serious injuries were reported.
Despite losing his home, Villalpando said his family is focused on rebuilding.
“I’m always gonna be a Southsider. I love the South Side. I’m just born and raised here,” he said. ”... My wife says, ‘I guess we’re gonna move.’ I said, no, just rebuild. Just rebuild.”
KSAT has reached out to the San Antonio Fire Department and is awaiting additional information.
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