LAFD, Family Who Lost Home In Holiday Fire Give Safety Reminder

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Los Angeles Fire Department held a press conference Tuesday to discuss fire safety and prevention for the holiday season.

The Ambers family, whose house burned to the ground during Chanukah 2011, was also in attendance at the 2 p.m. event at Fire Station 43, 3690 S. Motor Ave.

The fire that destroyed their home started after they lit a menorah their child made in an elementary school art class. The menorah was in the kitchen when they left the room to open presents.

"At some point, our 5-year-old son exclaimed, 'Mommy, the kitchen is on fire!' We raced to the kitchen and found it ablaze," the family says on their website. "Quickly, we realized the fire was too big and we raced outside with our 3-month-old daughter, 2-year-old son, 5-year-old son and 80-year-old grandmother."

The kitchen exploded and the residence and all their belongings were destroyed by flames, smoke and water damage.

Sponsors and partners donated or gave discounted products and services to rebuild a house for the Ambers family, who has been without a permanent home for the past two years.

"The home will feature sustainable furnishings, eco-friendly design, fire-safety measures and non-toxic elements that will benefit the health of a multigenerational household," Robin Wilson, president of Robin Wilson Home and the designer of the project, said.  "The home will also feature clean construction methods being led by Becker General Contractors, a Los-Angeles-based company, and the project has partnered with the Sustainable Furnishings Council to ensure non-toxic furnishings from all partners."

The home is expected to be completed in late January.

"I'm so grateful for all the vendors that are helping us start a new life in our brand new home," Steve Ambers said.  "As you celebrate this year with your friends and loved ones, I can't stress enough to be extra careful with fire safety. In a matter of seconds my family's entire home was completely destroyed and we lost everything."

For more information about the project, click here.