FALLBROOK, Calif. (KGTV) — A family of six escaped a fast-moving house fire Saturday morning after a portable solar generator exploded outside their Fallbrook home, igniting flames that quickly engulfed the residence.
Keaton Richardson and his wife, Maddie, were awakened by Maddie's frantic mother banging on their bedroom door, shouting, "Fire!"
Moments earlier, Maddie's mother said the portable solar generator had exploded outside her bedroom window before lighting up the porch. The couple, with their 2-month-old son and 3-year-old daughter, initially headed down a hallway but were forced to turn around as flames took over the house. They escaped through a back door in their bedroom.
"My daughter is shaking," an emotional Maddie said, recalling how she grabbed a blanket for her son, Easton.
After getting out, Maddie described seeing their home "engulfed in flames."
Maddie's mother and brother also escaped, along with four dogs. Keaton said the scene resembled a war zone amid the wall of flames and thick smoke. He watched his brother-in-law race into the burning home to rescue the last remaining dog.
"It's like a superhero," Keaton said. "I saw my brother-in-law toss his dog out the window, and he ran back through the kitchen door."
The dog wasn't injured, but several pets were lost, including cats, a hen, and her chicks. Outside, the weight of all the losses was overwhelming.
"I just remember my mom wailing across the canyon. I keep on replaying it," Maddie said.
Despite losing everything, Maddie said the family gained "a lot of gratitude for our lives."
The family didn't have renters' insurance. A GoFundMe campaign has been set up to help with their recovery.
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