A Dallas family says they're lucky to be alive after losing their home in a fire early Thursday morning.
The fire claimed the family's home in the 300 block of West Eighth Street in Oak Cliff.
The family of five, who was asleep in the house when the fire broke out in the living room, believes the fire started as an electrical fire from an overloaded outlet. Fire investigators have not confirmed the cause.
Despite a lot of fire and smoke, everyone inside the home got out okay -- but they're aware it could have been much worse.
"A situation like this, being asleep, and the smoke -- the smoke is what kills people, pretty much," said resident David Cardona.
Cardona said he woke up to his father screaming "fire" and said he was nearly overcome by the smoke while trying to get everyone out of the burning home.
Before firefighters arrived on the scene, Cardona said he spent time using a garden hose trying to put out the fire. That didn't do any good. Fire crews were about to put the fire out but spent hours on scene watering down the inside of the older home.
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The family said they'll return to the house Thursday to see if any of their belongings survived the fire.
