After fighting a fire Sunday that destroyed a home in Rescue, firefighters "took up a collection" to help the family with Christmas.
Capt. Rob Withrow of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection/Cameron Park Fire Department said the single-story home in the 3200 block of Bentley Drive was destroyed by the 2 a.m. fire.
When the firefighters arrived, more than 50 percent of the house was engulfed in flames, he said. By the time they extinguished it an hour later, it was a total loss, he said.
Shelley Ash, whose sister owns the home, was staying there with her 11-year-old son, her brother-in-law and his 3-year-old son and 9-month-old daughter when the home caught fire. Her sister, an emergency room nurse at Kaiser Roseville, was working a graveyard shift when the fire broke out.
The families had gone to bed late after watching a movie and Ash was dozing when she was awakened by a huge boom that shook the house. "It was gigantic," she said.
As hot smoke barreled down the hallway, Ash said she ran and grabbed her son and nephew and headed out the door of the home. Her brother-in-law, Stacy Hinson, ran back inside the home, grabbed his infant daughter and fled to the safety of a neighbor's house, Ash said.
"We heard a couple more booms and then the house was engulfed in flames," she said.
While the fire was devastating, the family is thankful that the outcome wasn't worse.
"The Christmas gift is that we all got out alive," Ash said. "I really believe that we were very lucky."
She said her family was touched by the immediate outpouring of support from the community, including donations made by the firefighters who helped battle the blaze.
Withrow said the firefighters felt badly that the family's home was destroyed so close to Christmas Day.
"It's a bummer," he said. "The guys all took up a little collection for the family to help with Christmas. It's a pretty tightknit community up here."
Ash said neighbors offered help immediately and her sister's co-workers offered her their unused vacation time so she could be with her family.
"I think it's phenomenal," Ash said. "My sister is all about doing everything for everyone else. The outpouring of support coming back to her has her in a little bit of shock."
Ash and her son returned home to San Jose. The Rescue family is staying in a hotel, but likely will stay with relatives or neighbors soon.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation but does not appear to be suspicious, Withrow said.
"We did manage to save some personal effects," he said.
Ash said her family is thankful that firefighters were able to save some jewelry, baby books and cherished family photographs.
"They had broken out the windows and tossed out anything they could find,"she said.
Call The Bee's Niesha Lofing, (916) 608-7454.
