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Children save family from burning home in Oakley
A family in Oakley credits their tow youngest children with saving them from a burning home. When fire broke out in the middle of the night, it was the kids who woke the household in time to get out.
OAKLEY, Calif. - An Oakley family said they are fortunate to be alive after their two youngest children woke everyone inside the home in time to escape a fast-moving fire early Tuesday morning.
The fire broke out around 3 a.m., sending flames shooting into the sky and bringing down power lines.
Four adults and three children were asleep inside the home when the blaze started. Elizabeth "Lizzy" Morgan, 10, and her brother, Lucas Morgan, 11, woke up after the home lost power. The children noticed the fire and quickly alerted the rest of the family.
All seven occupants escaped safely.
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Family loses home, pets
What we know:
Although no one was injured, the family lost all of its belongings and family pets in the fire.
"Lizzy got up, looked outside and seen our house on fire. [She] immediately started screaming. Lucas started screaming," said Nena Morgan, the children's mother. "They started running through the house waking everybody up."
The family's dogs and cat did not survive the blaze.
Morgan said the fire consumed nearly everything the family owned.
"Fourteen years, dude. Everything's gone," she said through tears. "All of the pictures, all of my kids' school pictures, their baby pictures, their sonograms. My wedding pictures are gone. Just everything's gone."
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Investigators looking into cause
What we don't know:
Firefighters with the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District responded to the scene but said their efforts were complicated by downed power lines and an attic that was already fully engulfed in flames.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
"The fire is actually being investigated by our Investigations Bureau, but it appears that it started on the porch area," said Con Fire Battalion Chief Jeff Burris.
Recent fires
Dig deeper:
The Morgan family said they have suspicions about how the fire started, noting there have been other recent fires in the neighborhood, including one in their backyard two weeks ago.
"Nobody knows why my backyard caught on fire in the middle of the day. Nobody knows why my house caught fire in the middle of the night with all of us in there," Morgan said.
As investigators search for answers, the family said they are grateful they escaped with their lives.
"I'm thankful for Elizabeth and Lucas because we might have all died last night," Morgan said. "My kids are our heroes right now."
How to help
What you can do:
The Morgan family has created a Spotfund page to help cover recovery expenses after losing their home and belongings.
The Contra Costa County Fire Investigation Bureau is asking anyone with information about the fire to contact investigators.
The Source: This report was written based on interviews with survivors of the house fire along with information from Con Fire.