Knock on door saves Cottonwood Shores family from house fire
Yarene Garcia and her family escaped a fire at their Cottonwood Shores home Tuesday, Feb. 22, after someone knocked on their door alerting them to the blaze. Courtesy photo
A warm, fun day Feb. 22 turned to tragedy for Yarene Garcia and her family after a fire jumped from a nearby home to her house, destroying it.
According to Garcia, the fire started at about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the house next to hers in the 600 block of Fir Lane in Cottonwood Shores, before spreading to her house and a third home behind it. Cottonwood Shores Police Chief Johnny Liendo said the cause of the fire is under investigation and would not comment further.
“It was windy, and it went straight to our house,” Garcia said. “Somebody knocked on our door, and I didn’t meet him before. He told us our house was on fire.
“If he wouldn’t have knocked on my door … ” Garcia said before her voice trailed off.
She said she had just enough time to get her 11-year-old daughter, Dahlia, and 4-month-old grandson, Alsander, along with her three dogs into the family truck. Her older daughter, Luz, wasn’t home.
“We were out between seven to nine minutes after the knock on the door,” Garcia said. “There’s nothing left, there’s nothing salvageable. Everything is gone. Flames engulfed the house within 10 minutes. The flames were so hot.”
The Cottonwood Shores Volunteer Fire Department, Cottonwood Shores Police Department, Marble Falls Area Volunteer Fire Department, Marble Falls Fire Rescue, Horseshoe Bay Fire Department, and Granite Shoals Fire Rescue all responded to the three structure fires.
Several fundraisers have been set up to assist the Garcia family. Donations can be made on Venmo at @Yarene-Garcia or GoFundMe.com.
Those who want to give cash can do so at Blue Bonnet Cafe, 211 U.S. 281 in Marble Falls, where Garcia is a server.
The family has been staying at an Airbnb, but they have to move out by Monday, March 7. Garcia is looking for a new place to stay. Furniture donations will be needed at a later date.
Email Garcia at yarenegarcia@gmail.com for more information.