A Ballwin family of four escaped a house fire just before 2 p.m. on Christmas Eve, but two of their , officials confirmed.

Metro West Fire Protection District crews responded after receiving the call and located the fire’s origin in the kitchen, Capt. Matt Coppin said. Firefighters focused efforts on keeping the blaze contained to the first-floor kitchen; while flames were limited to that area, smoke spread throughout the rest of the home and crews treated the scene and checked for remaining hazards before clearing.

“The family was home at the time, but they were able to get out successfully,” Capt. Coppin said, describing the swift escape. He added that the timing compounded the distress: “Today is definitely a hard time to have a fire in your house, like this family is experiencing. We’ll support them any way that we can…they’ve got outside family that’s already on the scene, helping them.” Relatives and neighbors were at the scene helping the household in the hours after the blaze.

Authorities documented the incident timeline as occurring just before 2 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Four people were reported at the home during the fire; none were reported as injured. After bringing the fire under control, crews remained on site until they determined immediate risks had been addressed and the scene stabilized.

Officials confirmed two family dogs died in the incident. The loss of the pets cast a shadow over the holiday for the household and their extended family, who remained at the scene offering support as the family spent the remainder of Christmas Eve trying to salvage belongings from inside.

The metro fire captain and responding crews limited physical damage to the first-floor kitchen, but pervasive smoke affected multiple rooms. Crews conducted standard post-fire checks for hotspots and other hazards before leaving the scene. Local coverage of the response, including firefighter comments and scene footage, is available from FOX 2 St. Louis.

The incident comes as holiday-season home fires remain a public-safety concern. The National Fire Protection Association and U.S. fire agencies report that cooking activities — primarily involving kitchen appliances like ranges and cooktops — account for roughly 44–51% of reported home structure fires. Seasonal patterning shows cooking remains the leading cause year-round and peaks on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day; other common holiday causes include heating equipment, candles, Christmas trees and decorations.

In the wake of the Ballwin blaze, officials noted the particular vulnerability of households with pets during residential emergencies. Advocates and emergency groups recommend visible home rescue alert stickers that indicate the number and types of pets inside, and suggest assembling an emergency kit with seven to 10 days of food and water, leashes or carriers, medical records and basic first-aid supplies stored near an exit so animals can be accounted for quickly. How can homeowners prepare their pets for a fire emergency?

Capt. Coppin said Metro West crews would continue to assist the family as needed in the aftermath. Investigators have identified the kitchen as the origin and confined their findings to that area; authorities did not immediately announce any additional cause determinations beyond that origin location.

Neighbors and outside family members remained on hand after crews left, providing immediate relief and assistance. Officials said the district will remain available to the family while they work to recover from the loss and repair the damage caused by the December fire.

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Original reporting: view the original article.