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Family of 10 escapes house fire
A family of 10 is starting 2024 homeless after narrowly escaping a house fire in East Austin.
AUSTIN, Texas - A family who has lived in the same house in East Austin for 40 years lost their home on New Year’s Eve because of a fire.
"40 years I've been here," said Miss Gloria.
Those 40 years were reduced to ash in a matter of minutes early Sunday morning.
"Why me? After all these years, I had never, it's never happened like this," said Miss Gloria.
Miss Gloria’s home sat destroyed on New Year’s Day. She says a day prior, nine of her family members were over to celebrate the holiday. She says it is not unusual to have that number of people in her house because she always loves having her family around her.
"That's what families are for. That's what family does. We have always been a close-knit family," said Miss Gloria.
Early Sunday morning, Miss Gloria says she was woken up by a smell as if someone was cooking. She says she got up and went straight to the kitchen, but no one was there.
She then went to the living room and saw her son sleeping on her couch which was on fire. As the flames were spreading, Miss Gloria says she jumped into action to get everyone out of the house.
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East Austin house fire displaces 10 people
Crews were called to a home on fire on Adina Street in east Austin early Sunday morning.
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Austin Fire says Miss Gloria and her family narrowly escaped the house fire which caused $200,000 in damages, $150,000 for the structure and $50,000 for the contents. The cause of the fire was ruled improperly discarded smoking material.
"The memories are still, you know, you still have them, but that in there is gone, you know, because it's burned," she said.
On top of the fire, Miss Gloria says her life has not been the easiest. She says she continues to deal with the grief of losing her husband who passed away a year ago, but she says she is trying her best to be strong for her family.
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"I don't know. I always think positive. I don't look at the negative. I try to stay positive, you know, for my kids," she said.
The Red Cross is assisting Miss Gloria and her family. She says she has also received help from neighbors and friends.
The plan right now, according to Miss Gloria, is to just let her home of almost 50 years go.
"Now it's time to move on. Yeah, it's time to move on," she said.