A Boyle Heights family was devastated Sunday after a fire ripped through their home on Christmas Eve morning.
The Seguras were still trying to figure out what they could salvage from their home Sunday night, as neighbors and city representatives rallied to support them.
Firefighters responded to the fire around 10 a.m. as flames were shooting out of the attic. The fire reportedly started in the basement.
"(It was) a very difficult firefight as the fire was in the basement and extended into the first floor and the attic," said Battalion Chief Steve Skelly.
The family’s grandfather was overtaken by smoke, but neighbors rushed in to save him and he was fortunately not seriously injured. Everyone else also made it out safely.
"I was at work," homeowner Julio Cesar Segura said. "I work at Food4Less and Ireceived a call that my house was on fire, and I got to go."
Despite the loss, Segura said he was just happy his family is OK.
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"Fortunately my father, my family is OK. They just took him to the hospital. Thank God everything else is okay. The house, it don't matter. My family is OK."
No cause of the fire was immediately clear.
Members of Mayor Eric Garcetti’s crisis response team were trying to assist the family, and LAPD’s Hollenbeck division was collecting donations for the family.
Neighbors also come to support the family, bringing them Christmas Eve dinner as they tried to save what they could from their home.
"I’m asking God why couldn’t it be another day, not Christmas," Segura said. "Now we don’t know what’s going to happen next. We’re waiting to see what next."
Neighbors have set up a GoFundMe account here to help gather donations for the family.
