Teen Saves Family in House Fire

Firefighters believe a La Presa house fire could have been deadly, if not for a teenager who woke up and alerted her family.

A candle burning inside a closet caused a fire inside a home on Leland Street around 3 a.m. Tuesday.

Five people including children were inside and San Miguel firefighters and San Diego County sheriff's deputies were able to evacuate everyone safely.

A 13-year-old girl woke up realizing she needed a book for school, got out of bed to put it in her backpack, and noticed the house was full of smoke Battalion Chief Andy Menshek said.

She was able to alert the family including a mother and baby sleeping in the front bedroom.

There were no smoke detectors inside the home firefighters said.

Firefighters say there wasn't a lot of fire -- but enough smoke to be deadly.

β€œSo this could, with no smoke detectors, and just somebody just accidentally waking up, this could have easily been a multiple fatality
fire,"Menshek said.

There were two homes on the property. The front home had five people including children living inside.

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