Corpus Christi Caller Times Caller.com - Woman loses home, 2 pets

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Thursday, November 1, 2001
Woman loses home, 2 pets
Son, 15, and six dogs escape burning house
By Sara Lee Fernandez
Caller-Times

Paul Iverson/Caller-Times

A Corpus Christi firefighter sifts through the remains of the rear of the house at 1122 Bernice Drive, where a fire destroyed a carport and a bedroom. The occupant, Kathy Sanchez, said seven dogs, a cat and her 15-year-old son Ryan were home at the time of the fire.

   Kathy Sanchez sat on the grass across the street from what was left of her house Wednesday, hugging her 15-year-old son and being nuzzled by an extended family of six dogs.
   She cried as she watched firefighters spraying water on the smoldering wood of her home.
   She cried for her dachshund, Ninja, and cat, Miss Kitty, both of whom died in the fire in the 1100 block of Bernice Drive.
   "I've never been through this," said Sanchez, a single mother and nurse at Driscoll Children's Hospital. "I was so scared."
   She was scared because her son, Ryan, was at home when the fire started.
   Ryan told firefighters he heard two loud pops before smelling smoke.
   Firefighters were notified of the blaze about 2 p.m. It took about 14 minutes to get it under control, said District Chief Homer Flores.
   "There is heavy damage to the carport and back bedroom," Flores said. "The other rooms have smoke and heat damage."

Paul Iverson/Caller-Times

Kathy Sanchez wipes her eyes as one of her dogs greets her. Sanchez’s son and six of her dogs escaped a fire at her home.

   The cause of the blaze was being investigated, Flores said.
   Mark Finch was working on a haunted house at nearby Oso Recreation Center when men working the roof of the building said a house was on fire.
   "I used to be a medic," he said. "So I ran to make sure there was no one inside."
   Finch said he saw the fire and Ryan trying to get the dogs and the cat out of the house.
   "I broke down the fence and grabbed a hose," Finch said.
   He said he was sad that the dachshund died. He saw the cat jump from a fire in the kitchen to a nearby shed, which was also on fire.
   "But at least there was no human lives lost," he said.
   Sanchez said she was in shock and didn't know yet what she was going to do. She said the American Red Cross had contacted her.
   "I've never been through this. I don't know what the steps are," she said as she held one of her dogs.


Contact Sara Lee Fernandez at 886-3767 or fernandezs@caller.com

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