SANTA MARIA, Calif.- A bedroom goes up in flames, leaving a family of four out of their home on Christmas. Although the family may be out of their home, officials say the family still got to unwrap their Christmas presents.
A closet full of burnt clothes is all that's left in the bedroom after a fire rips through a Santa Maria home the night before Christmas.
"It was sad and heartbreaking to see, you know, somebody's house on fire especially during the holidays," said Alicia Peinado, a neighbor.
By looking at the outside of the house on the 1200 block of North College Drive, you would never know a fire broke out. That is until you see the inside, nothing but burnt debris.
"We could see there was smoke coming from the house and then within a minute or so everybody had arrived, firemen and the police had arrived and then flames just started coming up," said Peinado.
Crews say when they arrived, a woman was trapped inside.
"Crews quickly made access and contacted a police officer that arrived first and found the woman coming out the front door so fortunately she was okay," said Battalion Chief Alan Widling, Santa Maria Fire Department.
Although four people live in the home, the woman was alone during the time of the fire.
"We were able to assist them with getting some presents and personal items out so they could enjoy Christmas today at another location," said Widling.
Despite saving a large portion of the family's belongings, fire crews estimate the cost of the damage to be about $140,000, and don't believe the fire to be suspicious.
The woman who was inside the home during the time of the fire was transported to Marian Medical Center to be treated for smoke inhalation.
