An elderly Clairemont couple is alive, but almost all their belongings were destroyed in a house fire Tuesday afternoon.
Roseline Mazzara said she and her husband George, both 90, have lived in the home since 1953.
Fire crews were called to the 3600-block of Cowley Way around noon.
“The whole front of the house was just totally engulfed in fire,” said Maurice Luque with San Diego Fire-Rescue.
The fire produced so much smoke, it could be seen for miles.
Mazzara said she was alone in her kitchen when she turned on the gas stove. Moments later, she said she was knocked down by a sudden burst of fire.
“Right away, flames came up. That's all I can remember,” Mazzara said.
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“I was terrified.”
She yelled for her husband, and they escaped unharmed out the backdoor.
Luque said this incident is a reminder for people to monitor even their most ordinary appliances.
“Make sure your systems are adequately running, efficient, adjusted properly and maybe possibly avoiding a situation like this today,” he said.
The blown-out windows were boarded up Tuesday night. Firefighters are calling the house a total loss.
