UPDATE: Family of seven displaced by Prunedale house fire

UPDATE: 5/26/15 6:20 p.m.

A Prunedale family loses everything in an early morning house fire. They didn’t have time to grab their belongings, escaping with only the clothes on their backs. At times, they still can’t grasp what happened on Tuesday morning.

“I’m still thinking I can go home but there’s no home to go back to,” Cristina Jackson said.

In minutes, her life changed. Her boyfriend woke up to find a fire in their garage.

“He said we gotta get out now,” Jackson said, “We gotta get the kids out.”

The fast moving fire was seen from far away.

“We could see the heavy smoke as we were coming up the road,” Chief Chris Orman with North Monterey County Fire said. “And we could see flames from Tustin Road on top of the hill.”

More than a dozen firefighters from North Monterey County, Aromas and Cal Fire responded. Despite their efforts, the family’s three kittens died in the fire.

“The smoke was so thick it was not safe to go in there and save them,” Jackson said.

Fire investigators say the fire started in the garage. A heat lamp may be to blame.

“Heating lamps unattended is a very common reason for house fires in this area,” Chief Orman said.

As the family picks through the charred debris of what used to be their home, they’re grateful they all made it out ok.

“I’m just happy that we are alive, basically because all of this is material stuff that can we can throw away and move on and get a new life, so, we’re all ok.”

The Red Cross is helping them out by giving them money for food, clothing and diapers. They’re also giving them a place to stay for the next few days because they don’t have anything left.

UPDATE 5/26/2015 9:25 a.m.: Firefighter said all seven family members are getting help from the American Red Cross.

Crews think the fire may have started in the garage because the family had a lamp to keep their kittens warm.

Rescue crews said they haven’t been able to find the kittens and aren’t sure how many were inside the home.

Damage from the fire is estimated to be $350,000 and at least two cars damaged.

UPDATE 5/26/2015 8:52 a.m.: Firefighters said the fire in Prunedale on Tustin Road was first reported around 5:45 a.m.

Seven people were inside the home and firefighters said they all made it out safely.

North Monterey County Fire and CAL FIRE responded to the incident.

PREVIOUS STORY: A family of seven in Prunedale is now homeless after their house caught fire this morning.

According to North County Fire Chief Christopher Orman, it started in the garage, then spread to the house near Tustin Road. The entire family managed to escape.

In total 18 firefighters from North County, Aromas, Cal Fire, and Monterey Regional responded. The fire was under control in about 30 minutes.

The fire has since been contained, but smoke damage was extensive through the home. The fire is under investigation.