SAN JUAN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Members of a San Juan family are without a home due to a massive fire that led loved ones who were inside to evacuate quickly.
It even a challenge for emergency crews as they had to put out the flames during the blistering summer heat.
Fire officials have deemed the home a total loss.
“It’s just been, a very hard weekend,” Valley homeowner Mari Garza said.
Mari Garza has been living in her home in San Juan for over 23 years and says to see it gone in minutes was truly emotional.
“You never imagining it ever happening in your own circle and it hits down, we’re holding on to father god and he’s guiding us,” Garza said.
It breaks her heart as she looks at the broken glass, charred remains, and melted pieces of materials of what she called home.
“Everything is gone,” Garza said.
Garza says the fire took away not just her home but many years of treasured memories.
“I mean, I’ve worked very hard, I’m a widow and I have had everything in there even their first haircut of my children,” Garza said.
Saturday, she along with several family members were inside the house. They were alerted by neighbors and had to quickly leave.
Fire crews arrived at the scene within minutes where they not only had to fight the flames but also the winds, humidity and the scorching summer heat.
“I believe Saturday we looked it up it was 102 and the feel like heat index was 112, 114,” San Juan Fire Department Chief Tirso Garza said.
Several agencies such as the Pharr and Alamo fire departments helped, but they also had to make sure the temperatures wouldn’t cause their bodies to overheat.
Officials say it took crews about 45 minutes to put the fire out.
“So, we try to rotate them with other personnel of course which was Pharr and personnel within ourselves so we get them into rehab for a good 5-7 minutes and then they continue the operation of extinguishing the fire,” Tirso said.
Loved ones say they are grateful for the amount of support the community has shown with donations and thankful no one was hurt.
“Now watching everything, it could have been worse, we could have been burying somebody we could have been in the hospital burns or something we were literally in that room where it started,” son-in-law Fernando Martinez said.
“Thank father God that the four of us are here and we’re very grateful,” Garza said.
Fire officials say the cause is still under investigation.
The family is working with the American Red Cross and The Salvation Army for assistance.
If you would like to help with donations, click here.
