San Diego

Rolando Fire Victim: Cat Woke Me, Saved My Life

The woman told firefighters that it was her cat that jumped on her and woke her up.

A San Diego woman who escaped a destructive early morning fire Tuesday credited her car with saving her life.

Fire destroyed the single story home near 72nd street and El Cajon Boulevard in the Rolando community of San Diego.

The homeowner was sleeping when the fire started at 1:30 a.m., San Diego Fire-Rescue officials said.

Firefighters arrived to find flames throughout the home and shooting out from multiple windows.

The homeowner had escaped and was outside the home when crews arrived.

The woman told firefighters that it was her cat that jumped on her and woke her up.

"Thankfully the cat was there," said Bat. Chief David Gerboth. "Unfortunately the cat did perish in the fire."

One dog and another cat also died.

A tow truck driver who was next door tried to spray water on the fire but the water wasn't working. He also towed her car across the street out of harm's way, officials said.

The fire was knocked down within 20 minutes. SDFD investigators determined the cause to be electrical.

No other information was immediately available.

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