Abilene family loses home in devastating fire days before Christmas

ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) – The Solis family of three has created countless memories in their home off Taos Drive and Alameda Road, celebrating everything from holidays to birthdays. However, on the evening of December 19th, shortly after 6:00 p.m., their lives took a frightening turn. Abilene fire crews responded to a fire at the Solis residence, which was later determined to be caused by a knocked-over propane heater. The estimated damages from the fire totaled $50,000. Jasmine Solis reported that her mother, Sabrina Solis, was the only person at home when the flames ignited.

“She was all alone in the house. She did say she was trying to get our Christmas stuff out and that she almost got out but then got stuck in the hallway, so she ended up having to drop it so she could actually, like, leave the house safely and everything like that. But I’m just happy that she made it out alive,” explained Solis.

Jasmine mentioned that the road to recovery will be a long one. Her mother recently bought all their Christmas presents, and it breaks her heart to see her 11-year-old sister miss out on the things she had on her list. However, the Solis family finds strength during this difficult time by relying on the kindness of family and friends.

“We lost a lot. My mom just went Christmas shopping. All of our presents were in there for me and my sister. Also, I have a baby on the way, so a lot of my baby stuff was in there. Lots of prayers. We are definitely going to need them. Anything really that will help, like the kindness of people’s hearts. It would mean a lot,” added Solis.

The Solis family is currently staying with their grandmother in Hawley and is uncertain about what the future holds. They plan to start over and find a new place to live and are reaching out to resources in Abilene for assistance with housing. If you would like to help the Solis family, they have set up a GoFundMe page for monetary donations. They are also accepting donations for their urgent needs, which can be dropped off at a relative’s house in Abilene located at 1625 Shelton Street.

URGENT NEEDS:

• 11-year-old girl: Size 7 1/2 in shoes. Size 5 in jeans, and medium in shirts
• Sabrina: Size medium in shirts, Size 6 in pants, Size 9 1/2 shoes
• Jasmine: Size 20-22 maternity pants, XL-XXL Shirts, Size 10-11 Shoes
• Baby items