Broken Tailbone Saves Twin Sisters, Exotic Bird From West Sacramento House Fire
WEST SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A fire destroyed a West Sacramento home on Christmas Eve after twin sisters tried to keep their exotic birds warm during the winter.
Carole and Karen Sitts do everything together, including getting out of their burning home alive.
The fire quickly overtook the home, blowing out the windows and filling the house with thick, black smoke.
Carole says it's amazing she, her sister, the bird and their two dogs made it out alive. She says it wasn't the smoke alarm that woke her in time, but a persistent back injury.
"I had just gotten up because I just couldn't stand it anymore, and so, it paid off to have a broken tailbone today," she said.
The Sitts also lost several Civil War antiques, as well as furniture they had been collecting for decades that dated back to 1880.
They say it's tough to think about their losses on a day meant for celebrating, but their Christmas spirit isn't broken.
"We were able to get a nativity set," she said. "So we got the spirit of Christmas anyway."
The twins say the fire was traumatic for their exotic bird, especially because of its sensitive lungs. They say there's still a chance it may not not survive.