Three families lose everything after fire rips through mobile homes, DSUSD taking donations

Three Indio families are out of their homes, left with nothing, after their mobile homes caught fire and burned to the ground.

Five adults and five children in the Pueblo Del Sol community lost everything they've ever owned Wednesday as the fire ripped through their homes.

"We lost everything," said Roberto Valdez, speaking in Spanish. "The two cars, the work tools. We've only got the clothes we're wearing. I don't even have socks; I don't have anything."

DSUSD says to bring donated items and gift cards to Indio High School or Summit High School.

The Valdez family's home was reduced to rubble. Inside as flames erupted were the family's three kids.

"I freaked out; I panicked and my mind went blank," said daughter Yanessa Bautista. "I didn't know what to do."

Bautista pulled her two brothers through the window with their family dog, suffering third degree burns to her feet. "Once I started running, I could feel the blisters."

In a matter of minutes, what once was their home of 18 years turned to nothing more than mangled metal and ash.

"Everything burned, my things, everything I had, it went away from one day to the next"," said mother Matty Valdez, speaking in Spanish.

Marcy Herrera, assistant principal for Indio High School, works just across the street from where that fire broke out. She was concerned for the school's safety too.

"It was a very frightening thing to watch," Herrera said. "We had the custodians out there hosing down the grass and landscape area. Another assistant principal was on the roof hosing down our snack bars."

She is now working with a team of teachers and staff within Desert Unified School District to collect donations. "From their clothes, pajamas, undergarments, to all of their school supplies, there's just so much that they need," Herrera said. "To watch people step up and help their community really shows what the City of Indio can do their families."

Donations can be brought to Indio and Summit high schools. Donations are needed for both men and women, adults and children. Herrera said gift cards of all types would be most helpful.

"Thank you everybody for your support, God bless you all," Matty Valdez said.

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