Renters return to find Santa Barbara home burned in fire
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The Terrazas are trying to find things that didn't burn in the home they have rented for the past two years.
Paulina Terrazas salvaged her rose bush, while Bladimir Terrazas salvaged his tools.
Thanks to firefighters, a turtle named Michaelangelo survived.
And thanks to firefighters they still have their wedding photo.
They celebrated their 13th wedding anniversary in July.
Neighbors tried to save the home with garden hoses, until firefighters arrived.
Paulina has worked at Lazy Acres for seven years and the company sent over food while family and friends filled a U-Haul with the frame of a bunk bed and others that didn't get destroyed.
He works at UCSB.
Their landlords are helping them find temporary housing, while they look for a new place to live.
Paulina and Bladimir Terrazas held up their cherished wedding photo for a photo despite their blackened hands.
She said she has been wearing donated shoes and jeans and clothes to comb through the remains of their rental home.
No one was home because the family and her two dogs were on their way to visit a ranch in Santa Maria when they got the call about the fire and headed home to see what happened.
Paulina Terrazas said it was one of the few times their son went with them or perhaps he would have been injured or worse.
Despite what happened, they are grateful their two children, her mother and their pets are all OK.
She wants to thank everyone for the outpouring of love.
"Thank you, happy my family is safe, the community is really helpful. People at Lazy Acres thank you very much, I love everybody. My daughter was really worried about her turtle but then the fireman brought the turtle she was so happy."
Santa Barbara City Fire Marshall Ryan DiGuilio said it is too early to report a cause.
"Right now we are gathering all those pieces. If you can imagine a big puzzle and we are trying to grab all the pieces of the puzzle to come up with a decisive reason for the fire," said Diguilio.
It appears the fire started before an electric bike burned.
Neighbors believe that is what they heard exploding.
The flames also damaged the home behind them one of the homes next door.
A GoFundMe page has been set up for the family affected by the fire and donations can be made online.
