Fire displaces family of six

AUSTIN (KXAN) - A fire Saturday night has left a family of six people without a home.

The fire started around 11 p.m. at 6600 Elm Creek. According to Graciela Castro, cousin and partial owner of the house, the fire started in the kid’s room where the space heater was too close to one of the comforters which got stuck starting the fire. The kids, 8 and 6, had enough time to warn their parents and get out of the house immediately.

By the time the firefighters arrived, everything was gone. The family said they were able to find some things in the back room that weren’t completely destroyed.

“They are sad, they lost everything. She feels desperate because I barely sold it to her two months ago and she lost it already,” said Castro.

The family is safe and living with Castro until they decide what to do next. As for right now, Castro is in charge of disposing the mobile home leaving the space available for rent.

Fire officials say damage estimates for structure are $50,000 and contents at $12,000.

AFD would like to remind folks that “space heaters need space.” The department recommends at lease three-feet of clearance around space heaters.

The fire has been ruled accidental.

To help this family contact Red Cross at 512-928-4271