A South Houston family lost everything when a vehicle that was involved in a police chase crashed into their home and started a fire.
SOUTH HOUSTON, Texas — A South Houston family is reeling after a vehicle being pursued by police slammed into their home earlier this week, triggering a massive fire that destroyed the house and left three people displaced.
“It’s heartbreaking. It’s earth-shattering. It’s a lot,” Ambriel Blanco said.
Blanco’s family has lived in the home for more than three decades.
The crash happened on Monday near the intersection of Oaks Drive and Edward Drive. Surveillance video shows the suspect’s car speeding through the neighborhood just moments before driving through the family’s lawn and plowing into the family’s living room, where Blanco’s younger brother was sitting on the couch.
“He was on the couch, and it landed right on top of him,” Blanco said. “We asked him, ‘What do you remember?’ and he said, ‘I just remember hearing a bunch of noise, and the wall and the piano came at me.’ He just blacked out.”
Blanco said her father rushed to pull her brother to safety, and within seconds, the home was engulfed in flames.
“As soon as they got out of the house, the whole thing just started catching on fire,” she said.
The home, which had been a staple for family gatherings and milestones, is now uninhabitable. Blanco, her brother and their 72-year-old grandmother are currently staying with relatives.
“Everything is gone. Honestly, what I have on is all I have from the fire — and it still smells like smoke,” Blanco said.
The family said they didn’t have insurance on the property, as the home has been in the family for more than three decades.
“We lost our home. I almost lost my brother,” Blanco said. “Whatever was going on (with the driver), it wasn’t worth it.”
KHOU 11 reached out to investigators for more details on the suspect and the circumstances surrounding the police chase. So far, we are still waiting for those details.
Meanwhile, the family is asking for help as they try to recover from the devastating loss. A GoFundMe page has been set up to assist with rebuilding.