SAN ANTONIO — A single mother made a daring rescue to save her family and neighbors. A fire ripped through the Whitefield Place Apartment on the Southeast side Tuesday night. Fire officials said 55 people including Xochitl Reyna were forced out of their homes.
Reyna was about to throw the trash when she heard people yelling outside. She was able to get her kids out but went back to alert her neighbors.
"I started banging on the others doors," she said. "There is a fire. There is a fire. Get out. Get out."
More than a dozen families watched the flames destroy all their belongings.
"It was a scary feeling," Reyna said. "It all happened so fast."
The single mother of a three and five-year-old lost everything, including Christmas gifts.
"It is going to be tough," she said. "I was so hurt that everything I worked so hard for was gone."
Reyna is going to school to become a police officer and even showed up the day after the fire. She said her motivation to keep going is her two little angels.
"They make me want to push myself," she said. "And be strong. They give me that strength."
Investigators are having a hard time finding out the exact cause, because of all the damage.
They do believe the fire may have started on the second floor, close to a water heater. As for Reyna, she moved into another unit for now and is getting help from family and friends.