Betina Davis suffered burns over 30 percent of her body in a fire that started near a Christmas tree in her living room Friday evening in the 7400 block of Brighton Drive. Fire investigators haven't determined the exact cause of the blaze.
"I was in another room, and I heard a 'whoosh' sound," said Davis' daughter Claudia LeBlanc, who lives with her mother. "I looked down the hallway, and all I saw was flames. I called for Mom, but she didn't answer."
Blocked by smoke and flames in the hallway, LeBlanc, 57, jumped out of a bedroom window and ran next door for help.
She and a neighbor returned to the burning house. Crawling through a back door, LeBlanc found her mother unconscious on the kitchen floor. She and the neighbor dragged Davis to the garage, where two passers-by helped them carry her away from the burning home.
Davis is in critical but stable condition at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose. She has second- and third-degree burns to her face, back, hands and arms.
LeBlanc has bruised ribs, and first- and second-degree burns to her face, head, hands and arms. She was treated and released from a Walnut Creek hospital.
The fire swept through several rooms, and most of the house, where Davis has lived for 40 years, has smoke damage. Most of the women's clothes, bedding and furniture were damaged in the blaze, but the toughest loss has been the death of their chocolate Labrador retriever, Coco.
Family members believe the dog stayed with Davis in the kitchen while three other dogs survived in a back bedroom.
"He was always very protective of Grandma," said Joy Ross, a close family friend.
Family members and friends are hoping to raise money for medical bills, clothes, food and other necessities. They plan to open a trust fund for the family today.
