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Family barely escapes house fire in Newport News

Posted at 10:49 PM, Jan 02, 2019
and last updated 2019-01-02 22:49:30-05

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - Belinda Delvalle walked News 3 through what’s left of the rooms that once made up her home life on Taliaferro Road in Newport News.

She says she and her family lived in the home for more than 20 years, but after a bedroom wall caught on fire early Sunday morning,  you won’t even be able to find a family picture that’s left inside.

Belinda Delvalle's home after the fire

Delvalle says the fire started in her son’s room while he was in there.

"When he opened the door, I saw that the door was on fire so we immediately left the house. We came to the porch, but then the windows started exploding and the porch caught on fire. So, we went to the street," says Delvalle.

Delvalle, along with her son, 4-year-old granddaughter and dog, barely escaped before the explosion went off near the front porch.

"It’s just saddening to see that your house is going up in flames so quickly. It went up so quick. There was no way to go back; there was no way to go back," says Delvalle.

Delvalle says she’s just grateful that she and her family got out safely. She says she has one thing to thank for that.

"[The] smoke alarm is the only thing that saved us. The smoke alarm, very important. It woke me up," says Delvalle.

Her top priority now is to find another place to live while she continues to pick up the pieces of what’s left.

Click here for the GoFundMe page set up to help the family.