North-side family loses home to fire hours into the new year

SAN ANTONIO — A house fire left a family on the north side scrambling to find a place where they can all stay together.

Early on, nearby fireworks had been suspected as a cause of the early morning fire on Pebble Bow, but the owners of the home told KENS 5 that fire investigators determined the cause was electrical.

“You know, we had a good Christmas. But starting the year like this, it’s… it’s hard,” said Haydee Guzman

Carlos and Haydee Guzman are spent New Year’s Day taking stock of their life together, on the front lawn of their home.

“We just try to salvage as much as we can,” Carlos Guzman told a friend over the phone.

Two hours into the new year, they woke to the sound of alarms and the sight of flames.

“The garage was engulfed, by that time, I mean it just spread real quick, and then my kids, ah…” Carlos started to get choked up.

“Our 5 kids you know, came down as soon as the alarm went off,” Haydee stepped in to finish for him. “We got out, grabbed our pets and we got out.”

Two parents, five children, one sister, four dogs, and one cat, all made it out safe and sound.

“It could have been way worse,” Carlos said. “Because we’ve got some heavy sleepers.”

Carlos gives a lot of the credit for everyone’s safety to his son, Christian Guzman.

“He saw the flames and the smoke and everything and, like a few seconds later, that’s when the alarm went off.”

“Seeing this was just heartbreaking,” Sam Taylor said.

Taylor met the Guzman’s when Carlos volunteered to be his daughter’s soccer coach.

“That’s what they do, the Guzmans, they step up and they help others,” Taylor said. “That’s their heart.

Neighbors and concerned citizens stopped by throughout the day asking if there was anything the family needed. One of them ordered a round of pizzas for the group.  Friends and well-wishers joined them for a meal as they try to figure out how to start anew.

“We’re just grateful that everybody got away, this can be replaced,” Haydee said. “And yeah, we’re just grateful. “

A gofundme has been set up to help them with expenses as they figure out how to move forward.