Abby Connolly
Losing a loved one during the holiday season is incredibly difficult and changes your life forever.
One family in Houston is grieving a tremendous loss this Christmas after a mother of two recently died in an apartment fire after saving her children and then going back inside to save their family cat.
Late at night on Wednesday, December 13th, 2023, the Houston Fire Department received a call a little after 10:00 pm that there was a fire in one of the apartments at the Southway Manor Apartments on Fairway Drive. It was the home of husband and wife Andrew Salinas and Keila Almonte.
They lived in the apartment with their two sons, ages six and ten, and Andrew’s brother. Andrew remembered being asleep when the unexpected fire, which the fire department is investigating, occurred in the night.
Keila and Andrew bravely rallied their family and safely evacuated from their apartment, but then Keila ran back inside to find their pet cat.
Andrew anxiously waited for Keila to return, yelling and screaming for her from the street, but she never made it back outside.
Four units were destroyed by the fire at Southway Manor Apartments, and when firefighters were finally able to put out the flames, Keila’s body had been tragically found inside. She was only 33 years old.
Andrew and his family lost all of their possessions during the horrific fire. Still, no loss could be greater than Keila’s, and she is remembered for being extremely kind and dedicated to her family.
Andrew has stated in interviews that he has been dreading having to see his boys suffer through this tragedy during Christmas time.
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