'She is our hero': 10-year-old saves her family from East Bay house fire; 3 pets die

OAKLEY, Calif. (KGO) -- A family is recovering after an early morning fire destroyed their home in Oakley, with a mother crediting her 10-year-old daughter for helping everyone escape safely.

Nena Morgan said her daughter, Elizabeth "Lizzy" Morgan, was awake around 3 a.m. playing video games when the power went out and noticed something was wrong.

"I totally think that Elizabeth Morgan is a hero because, I don't even know if we would have made it if we were all asleep. One of dogs died from smoke inhalation, so it just got bad - fast! So yeah, Lizzy Morgan is my hero," Morgan said.

Morgan said her daughter quickly alerted the rest of the household.

"They just started running through the house screaming for us, telling us that the house is on fire. My husband got up, verified what was going on. Came to the front of the house. Flames were already coming through our oldest daughter's bedroom, which is the front of the house. And then it was just crazy!" she said.

The home was occupied by four adults and three children. All of the people inside escaped safely, but two dogs and a cat died in the fire.

Fire officials said the fire likely started at the front of the house, though the exact cause remains unknown. Downed power lines added challenges for crews responding to the blaze.

"With the power lines between the pole and the house had dropped down to the ground, were actively barking, hindering our initial fire tact. We had to redirect crews around the power lines, the streets," said Contra Costa County Fire Battalion Chief Jeff Burris.

Morgan said the house had been her family's home for 14 years and that they lost nearly everything in the fire, including personal belongings and even car keys, leaving them stranded.

Despite the loss, she said she is proud of how her daughter responded in a critical moment.

"I am very proud of her. I am proud that they kept their composure. I am proud that they just knew what to do and just kept it together while they got smoke and flames around them," Morgan said.

Community members have stepped in to help the family with food and clothing as they begin to recover. A fundraising campaign has also been set up to assist them as they work to rebuild.

The family said they are uncertain about what comes next, but remain grateful that everyone survived.