Mother and son grateful for the holidays after loosing home to fire above the Brookdale Post Office

BROOKDALE, Calif. (KION-TV) -- On December 13 a fire broke out in the apartment above the Brookdale Post Office, displacing a family.

Holly Nelson and her son Rosston Houston say that they are grateful to be alive during this holiday season, despite still having a place to live.

"Thank you for um...saving me," Rosston addressed the Ben Lomond firefighter, Nick Burgess, who went inside the building to rescue him. "I was terrified. I didn't know what to do."

The fire broke out while the family was asleep, and although Holly and her fiancé made it outside, Rosston was stuck in the home. Holly's fiancé tried to break through a window to get him but got injured.

"Any mom's worst fear is something like that happening," Holly said in a CNN report. "I don't ever, ever wish that for anybody, especially if you have kids."

Rosston is still currently being treated for burns and smoke inhalation at the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center.

Despite still not having a home, Rosston and Holly say that they are very grateful everyone is on the mend this holiday season.

"I really feel like there was somebody watching over him that night," Holly said in that CNN report.

A Go Fund Me has been set up for the family and has already raised close to $14,000.

Brookdale's historic post office catches on fire Friday morning, displaces people

BROOKDALE, Calif. (KION-TV) - A residency above Brookdale's historic post office was damaged by a fire Friday morning around 12:30 a.m., displacing four individuals, according to the Boulder Creek Volunteer Fire Department.

Witnesses on the scene say the fire quickly spread through the second floor of the building, and when the fire department got there, they say that neighbors had already rescued the individuals out of the building.

Fire officials said that three people in the fire were transported to the hospital for treatment; an adult male and two children.

"Two BCFD firefighters, along with a Ben Lomond firefighter conducted a search and quickly located an unconscious child inside the apartment," wrote Boulder Creek Volunteer Fire Department in a Facebook post. "The child was pulled from the apartment and carried to an awaiting ambulance."

According to the fire department, all three of the victims are doing well and recovering from smoke inhalation and burns.

Unfortunately, they say that one of the family’s dogs was able to make it out safely and died as a result.

Jon Bowles, who has been displaced, is depending on the help of Red Cross.

"I don't have a house to live in, my wife and I and don't know the other people," Jon Bowles said. "We've all been displaced and don't have anywhere to go. We don't have any family in this area, so we're just rely on the help of the red cross just to try to get through this."

Fortunately, multiple fire agencies arrived on scene to quickly contain the fire. 

Red Cross is helping assist those affected.

"We give them a debit card that is loaded with a dollar amount that is based on family size and individual needs," Patsy Gasca American Red Cross, Central Coast said. "We provide that assistance to them and that they can go ahead and purchase, you know, clothing they may need and provide them the financial means to be able to book a hotel room."

Fire crews remained on scene for several hours.

The Brookdale Post Office was damaged by water, but did not burn, according to the fire department.

That fire shut down Highway 9 at Pacific Street in both directions for hours overnight.

CHP said southbound traffic was being allowed through just after 4 a.m. Friday morning, and now the road has reopened.

Multiple agencies responding to the fire, including Boulder Creek Fire, Zayante Fire, Ben Lomand Fire and Santa Cruz City Fire.

Fire officials add, the cause remains under investigation.

The US Post Office announced that they are temporarily closed due to the fire, but that people seeking to pick up their mail can do so at the Boulder Creek Post Office at 200 Lorenzo Street in Boulder Creek between 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, and Saturday for non-retail package pick-up from 6:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m.

The Post Office also said that they intend to reopen the Brookdale Post Office as soon as it's safe to do so.