A single mother and first-grade teacher is trying to rebuild 25 years of life after a house fire destroyed nearly everything she owned.
The family says an illegal firework sparked the blaze Sunday night, which burned her and nearly killed her cat.
What used to be a home in Castaic is now reduced to charred beams, rubble and ash.
“Inside, nearly everything is gone,” said Mika Olesen, the homeowner’s son.
According to the Olesen family, an illegal firework from within the neighborhood may have sparked the fire Sunday night.
The blaze tore through the home before crews could stop it from spreading to neighboring houses.
“I guess a firework went up in the air, came back down and landed in the backside of the property where that fence was,” said Mika Olesen, the homeowner’s son.
Barbara Olesen was sleeping alone when the fire started and had only moments to get out.
“She basically made it out with her cat — and that’s literally it,” Mika Olesen said.
“I got my cat Kibbles out. I wouldn’t have left without him. By meowing, my cat saved my life,” Barbara Olesen said.
For the family, the devastation goes far beyond the damage to the structure.
“The property can be replaced. The items can be replaced. But those personal memories are just gone forever,” Mika Olesen said.
Now the family is facing the difficult process of starting over.
“My house is gone, and I escaped with my life,” Olesen said.
In the days since the fire, the family says neighbors and members of the Santa Clarita community have already begun stepping in to help.
“Neighbors have been knocking on our door asking if they can donate, help remove debris and asking what we needed. So yeah, I do have hope,” Mika Olesen said.
While questions remain about how the fire started, the family says they are focused on rebuilding with the support of their community.
