Travis County family displaced after house fire
DEL VALLE, Texas — A family has been displaced just days before Christmas after a fire destroyed part of their home, authorities say.
Travis County Fire Rescue spokesperson Ken Bailey says they responded to the call at 10:06 a.m. Saturday morning to a mobile home in southwest Travis County, just east of Circuit of the Americas.
Responding units arrived and found the house with flames covering one side. Firefighters were able to stop the blaze from spreading but the family said much of the inside is badly damaged from smoke.
Rosa Diaz said she was in the shower when the lights abruptly shut off.
"I hear banging on the door and my sister's like 'get out of the shower, get out of the shower the house is on fire,'" she said.
With three days until Christmas, the family said gifts, clothes and furniture were all destroyed.
Diaz, who's expected a baby boy in February, said many of the things she had been gathering for his arrival were also taken by the fire.
"Everything I've been working hard for and then it's just all gone," said Diaz.
The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Travis County Fire Marshall but homeowner Janice Velasquez believes it may have been faulty electrical wiring.
"I was already having electric problems, like when my heater was on, it looked like my light wanted to turn off," said Velasquez.
Although the cause is still being determined, Bailey reminds residents not to put off any electrical maintenance needed on a home.
The family plans to stay at their next door neighbors home for the coming days but Velasquez said she hopes she can get help to clean up the mobile home she's had for the past five years so she can quickly find a new living arrangement on the same property.
"We still have our lives, I just hope we can get through this," said Velasquez.
The family is accepting offers for any kind of help or resources. If you'd like to help, you can contact CBS Austin 512.490.2199 to be put in touch with the family.
Bailey said it took about an hour from the moment they received the call to put out the fire and leave the area.
No injuries were reported by either residents or firefighters.
Units from Travis County Sheriff's Office, Austin-Travis County EMS and Austin Fire assisted.
