SAN ANTONIO – Preliminary information suggests that a space heater is to blame in a house fire that has left a family on the city's East Side without a home. Fire crews were called out around 3:30 a.m. to a two-story home in the 600 block of East Carson Street.
The house was declared a total loss, but officials fear it could have been much worse.
"The first arriving crew had a lot of fire in the front porch area of the house. When they made entry, they had quite significant fire in the inside," said fire battalion chief West Jendrusch.
The homeowner helped evacuate the other three people inside the home after hearing her smoke detector activate.
According to Jendrusch, "she found fire on the floor around the space heater and the curtains were catching fire."
The family was told they won't be allowed back in the home until sometime Sunday. In the meantime, the victims are being helped by the Red Cross.
Jendrusch urges people to install smoke detectors and change the batteries regularly. Officials credit the family's survival to the preventive device.