Family of 4 displaced by Azusa house fire

AZUSA, Calif. (KABC) -- A family of four and their dog were displaced after flames tore through their home in Azusa early Tuesday morning.

The fire erupted around 2:19 a.m. at a home on the 5400 block of North Clydebank Avenue. No injuries were reported.

Courtney Branch, her two brothers and their father were asleep when the fire broke out.

"My adopted brother Jessie came in and he woke me up, telling me to get out of the house because there was a fire," said Branch.

Firefighters said the flames were 75 feet high when they arrived on scene, and the majority of the house was already consumed by the fire. Crews managed to extinguish the flames around 3 a.m., but the home was destroyed.

"I can see into my room, where there used to be my bookshelves. I can see them from the street, and there is nothing there where they used to be. It's all gone. There's nothing left," said fire victim Chris Branch.

The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation, but fire officials say there were unattended candles inside the same room as a Christmas tree.

"Christmas trees at this time are very well dried out. So we really want to get those out of the house. We never ever recommend leaving a candle unattended," said Battalion Chief Mike Short with the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Courtney Branch said they kept the Christmas tree up because her 15-year-old brother, who has autism, loves the holidays.

Thirty years of renovations, family mementos and memories are now lost. But the family is safe, and they plan to rebuild.

"My dad has had this dream, for a long time now, of turning the house into a group home for autistic kids. And my little brother could stay there, so he could grow up and be safe in his family home," said Courtney Branch.

The Branch family said they will be staying with relatives for now.