‘We’ve got to get out of here!’: Married couple spend SIX HOURS in a swimming pool to escape deadly California wildfire that destroyed their home
Jan Pascoe, 65, and her husband John, 70, were at home in Santa Rose on Sunday night when they first saw signs of smoke approaching their property
They received a call from their nervous daughter, who lives in San Francisco, begging them to get out while they still had time
When they finally decided to make an escape, Jan says she looked out the window and was horrified to see flames everywhere
Thinking on their feet, they decided to plunge into their neighbor’s pool where they waited out their nightmare scenario for six hours
Firefighters gained ground on Thursday against the wildfires that have killed at least 31 people and left hundreds missing in the chaos of mass evacuations
By HARVEY DAY
DAILYMAIL.COM
13 October 2017
A married couple spent six hours in a swimming pool to escape the flames of a devastating Northern California fire that burnt their home to the ground.
Jan Pascoe, 65, and her husband John, 70, were at home in Santa Rose on Sunday night when they first noticed signs of smoke approaching their property.
Concerned but not panicked, John decided to gather a few cherished items including two Dale Chihuly glass bowls he inherited from his mother and some of his paintings and stashed them in his car for safekeeping.
Later that night, they received a call from their nervous daughter, who lives in San Francisco, warning them about the growing blaze and begging them to get out while they still had time.
When they finally decided to make an escape, Jan says she looked out the window and was horrified to see flames everywhere.
‘I looked out the window,’ Jan told the LA Times, ‘and all I saw was a red glow. I said, “John, we’ve got to get out of here.”‘
They picked up their 17-year-old cat and tried to escape in their Mercedes-Benz sedan. But the road was blocked and they were forced to return.
Thinking on their feet, they decided to plunge into their neighbor’s pool where they waited out their nightmare scenario for six hours.
To stay warm they held each other and spoke about their love for one another and their family.
‘I just kept going under,’ she told the publication. ‘And I kept saying, “How long does it take for a house to burn down?” We were freezing.’
Their cat, which ran away in the mayhem, has not been seen since.
And their home, along with all their life’s possessions, has been entirely destroyed.
The Rest…HERE
