Evelyn Aquino never wanted to let go of the house in the 500 block of North P Street where she lived for 14 years. It was the first house her parents owned after coming to the United States from the Philippines, and her father had lived there until he died last year.
"It had a lot of good memories," Aquino said.
But the home to three generations of one family was destroyed Tuesday night, consumed by a blaze firefighters said was sparked by an overloaded surge protector in the kitchen.
Evelyn Aquino's children, her brother and his two children were inside, and all escaped without injury. Aquino was still at work when the fire was reported at 7:41 p.m., and was told of the fire in a phone call from her sister.
When firefighters arrived, the garage was fully engulfed, said Jeff Zolfarelli, deputy chief of the Livermore Pleasanton Fire Department. Worried that the duplex located next to the house would also catch fire, firefighters called a second alarm. Units from Alameda County Fire and Lawrence Livermore Fire Departments arrived as back up, and the duplex was unharmed.
The fire was under control by 8:02 p.m., Zolfarelli said.
Aquino's family is staying at a hotel. The family was given money by the Red Cross to buy clothes, as all they had with them was what they were wearing, Aquino said. Her children are not attending school this week while they buy new school supplies and find a new place to live.
Damage is estimated at about $300,000 for the structure and $12,000 for items in the home, Zolfarelli said. Irreplaceable mementos such as pictures of Aquino's father were also destroyed.
The house was the Aquino family's home base, and all her siblings had lived there until they were able to purchase homes of their own, Aquino said.
Aquino's mother still lives in the house. She is in the Philippines visiting family, but is expected to return Sunday. Her mother had given the home to Aquino to keep the house in the family.
"My mom, she is so sad about this," Aquino said.
