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Family loses home to fire in San Marcos days before Christmas
A San Marcos family is homeless after a fire burnt their home down just days before Christmas, but the community has rallied behind them to help.
SAN MARCOS, Texas - Just days before Christmas, a family from San Marcos is homeless after a fire ripped through their home early Monday morning.
"You always hear about stuff. I never thought this was going to happen to us ever, ever," said Naomi Longoria, victim of the fire.
The burnt remains, charred cars, and hollow foundation are all a painful reminder to Longoria of what happened early Monday morning.
"Honestly, I thought we were going to die. I really did," she said.
Longoria lived inside her home in San Marcos with her husband Ron and sister Rosie. She says on Monday morning, she woke up abruptly to her sister screaming.
"I'm like, ‘oh my god, what's going on?’ So I jumped out of bed. I got dizzy, so I fell and I couldn't get back up. That’s when I saw all the fire," said Longoria.
A huge fire had engulfed her entire home in a matter of seconds. "It was just like red, orange, red," she said.
The fire has completely torn through the front of the home and they knew they did not have much more time to get out. After some time, they finally made it out through the back sliding door. It was then, during all the chaos, when Longoria realized her dog Coco was still inside.
"I said, ‘I'm going to go back and get her’ and that's where I got all these bruises because my sister grabbed me she's like, ‘no, Mimi you don't have time?’ so then Ron went back in and then he came back and he was burnt from this side and he couldn't get her," said Longoria.
Inside was her dog and pet turtle. Both are expected to have succumbed to the fire.
"I know she's only a puppy, but like she was our baby, you know? Because we don't have any kids together," she said.
Also inside was everything they owned. They were only able to make it out with what they were wearing to bed that night.
"Once you get out there and find out you have no shoes, and you see everything down. It's like oh my god, you have nothing, nothing at all," said Longoria.
Another hard thing to lose in the fire was her Christmas gifts for her grandson.
It has been a few days since the fire, and Longoria says she’s received nothing but support from the entire community. In just one day, the fundraiser to help Longoria and her husband is more than halfway over their goal, a heartwarming surprise that has brought a smile to her face even during such a tragic time.
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The fire is still under investigation.
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