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3 Escape Golden Valley House Fire

By Holly Wagner, WCCO-TV

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A family in Golden Valley managed to escape after their house started on fire.

Fire crews were called to a home at 1340 Toledo Ave. on Tuesday morning.

Crews said the fire started near the garage and spread to the connected house.

"My parents aren't doing very well with it right now," said Donald Stevens, who may not be able to go back to the home he grew up in for a while.

He was startled Tuesday morning after his dad woke him up and told him to get out of the house.

"The whole kitchen was just smoke. When I first woke up there was no smoke and by the time I ran out the entire house was smoky -- the whole garage was just a flame," said Stevens.

He had time to grab his bathrobe and his two dogs, Paul and Buster. And he backed their van out of the driveway, but the fire coming from the garage was so hot that it melted the front end.

Stevens said within minutes the fire quickly spread to the kitchen.

Part of roof collapsed in the garage and part of the home and crews say the damage is extensive.

In all, three people and two dogs were able to make it out of the house safely.

"It's gonna be difficult for a while," said Stevens.

Stevens, a senior at Benilde-St. Margaret, is on his winter break from high school. He said some of his friends found out what happened and have already been over to see how they can help.

"My friends are being pretty supportive right now. They've come over and said hi and stuff," he said.

The family says they have a place to stay Tuesday night and they are planning to rent an apartment until they get their house fixed.

Firefighters in Golden Valley called in help from West Metro Fire, Robbinsdale Fire, Minnetonka Fire and St. Louis Park. They are investigating the cause of the fire.

WCCO-TV's Holly Wagner Reports

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