Community rallies around Santa Maria family after house fire on Christmas

Family, friends and strangers are rallying around a Santa Maria family after flames ripped through the second-story of their home while the parents and four children celebrated Christmas evening elsewhere.

Hours after the Sunday blaze damaged their house and destroyed contents, Cody Harris stood in front of the Smoke Tree Lane residence while a steady stream of family and friends stopped by to offer help and support.

“All we’ve got are the clothes on our back,” Harris said.

But he remained thankful his family — including his wife, Dalia, four children ages to 3, 5, 11 and 16, and his mother-in-law — were unharmed.

Multiple calls at 5:45 p.m. Sunday sent Santa Maria firefighters to the 1300 block of Smoke Tree Lane, south of Tunnell Park.

Interim Fire Marshal Darrell Delgado said Monday afternoon the fire’s cause appeared to be accidental and likely started in a bedroom on the second floor of the residence.

“Everything’s gone,” Harris, a lifelong Santa Maria resident, said Monday as a relative described the children as “devastated.”

Clothing and toys, including those received for Christmas, were destroyed by fire, smoke or water damage.

Asked what they need, he said, “Whatever we can get, we will take.”

As word of the fire spread, family and friends rallied to get donations for the family, using social media to spread the message.

Co-workers also are offering aid. “I’ve got everyone in the oil fields pulling for me,” said Harris, who works for Ace Pump.

American Red Cross representatives also stopped by to offer assistance Monday.

Harris said he appreciates the support the family has received.

“Just thank you,” he said, tears filling his eyes. “We’ve got a lot of people pulling for us.”

A GoFundMe page to help the family can be found here.

This story was originally published December 27, 2016 at 6:45 PM with the headline "Community rallies around Santa Maria family after house fire on Christmas."