6 children, parents avoid injury during Mesa house fire

MESA, Ariz. (KSAZ) - Eight family members escaped a burning home and they made it out alive thanks to smoke detectors.

15-year-old Taleni Ta'ase says it was around midnight when she heard her mother's voice, warning her of an out-of-control fire raging just feet from her bedroom.

"I face the door while I'm sleeping, so I woke, I just saw red," she said.

Three daughters were sleeping in the basement and they all crawled out of windows to get out safely. The rest of the family slept upstairs and made it out front.

Smoke detectors woke up dad and he and mom got everyone else up.

"We have people who have their smoke detectors' batteries in correct places," Mesa Fire Department Chief Deputy Forrest Smith said. "What's important here is we have a real-life scenario where smoke detectors actually saved lives."

Four of the 10 children were not home but came right to the scene, comforting their parents and siblings even though some damage might be beyond repair.

The family says only one thing matters.

"Family, for us, is everything, so everything else can come later," Talia Halm said.

The family says they also discussed an escape plan, which included jumping out of windows.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but Mesa Fire Department officials believe it started in the basement.