Family feels blessed despite fire
It is hard to imagine feeling blessed after a house fire destroyed most of their belongings, but Kasidy and Sean Cabrera realize the fire could have been much worse. The family of four (two children ages 3 and 5) is usually fast asleep at 1:00 a.m. when the fire broke out, but instead they were awake and were able to safely exit the burning structure.
They alertly called 9-1-1 at 1:16 a.m. and Canyon Lake Fire Department trucks were quickly at the residence, extinguishing the flames. The family fled the house with nothing but the clothes they were wearing—no shoes, no possessions, but uninjured. Before the fire personnel arrived, a friend who was with them went into the house to save the family pets.
Their gratitude stems from the fact that they survived the horrifying experience. They acknowledged that if they had been sleeping as they usually were at that hour, the consequences could have been far worse.
They were awake because earlier that night, Sean was injured while playing football and was at the hospital getting his elbow tended to. Kasidy’s mother was at the house watching the two children when Kasidy and Sean returned around 12:50 a.m. from the hospital.
Kasidy said Sean and his friends were in the garage unloading football gear while she and her mother carried the sleeping kids to their beds. When Sean entered the kitchen from the garage, he encountered the kitchen engulfed in flames.
Meanwhile, the Cabreras cannot re-enter the house and are not sure if they will ever be able to return to live there. Fire investigators allowed the family to go in to look for items that could not be replaced, but the Cabreras are now currently staying with Kasidy’s parents. The Cabrera family has received help from Canyon Lakers and Kasidy stated they are thankful to the community for their help.
Their faith led them to believe that a divine presence had protected them until they escaped, Kasidy said. They also expressed relief that Kasidy’s mother was not alone in the house with the children at the time of the fire. The incident served as a poignant reminder that unforeseen tragedies can befall anyone.
This young family will be searching for another rental home, but now have many challenges ahead. Kasidy and Sean and their two children, Brixton, 3, and Kingsley, 5, are uninjured, but displaced. A Go Fund Me has been set up for them www.gofundme.com/f/the-loss-of-all-in-the-fire-at-the-cabreras. Kasidy can be reached directly at kasidycabrera@gmail.com.
The fire at the Cabrera house on the 30000 block of Big Range Drive caused considerable damage, but was successfully contained to the kitchen and attic by the Canyon Lake Fire Department. The incident was reported to authorities at 1:16 a.m., prompting a swift response from Canyon Lake Fire Department and Cal Fire/Riverside. Three fire engines, one truck, and two chief officers were dispatched to the scene to contain the blaze.
“Canyon Lake Engine 1 was the first unit to arrive on scene and they had the fire knocked down before the arrival of the 2nd engine or 2nd truck from Riverside County,” Canyon Lake Fire Chief Jeff LaTendresse said.
The fire, which originated in the kitchen, had extended to the attic, causing more damage to the house. The fire crews were able to extinguish the flames swiftly, preventing further escalation of the situation.
No injuries were reported as the family’s two adults and four children and their two dogs were able to evacuate the premises in time. The cause of the fire is suspected to be accidental, though an official investigation is currently underway to determine the exact factors that led to the incident, the fire chief said.