Tearful widow shares how you can save lives from fire

LA PORTE, TX (KTRK) -- The La Porte mother who lost her son and husband in a deadly fire spoke out in an Eyewitness News exclusive.

Renee Jessee said she wants the community to know how grateful she is for the ongoing support and wanted to stress the importance of fire safety. Her 11-year-old daughter Carleigh survived the fire by climbing out her bedroom window.

Jessee walked us through what's left of the home. She said she was working as a nurse overnight at a nearby hospital when her neighbor called her and told her about the blaze.

PHOTOS: Three injured following fire in La Porte

"It was an inferno, it was a blaze. I flew here. I flew here," said Jessee. "For me, what message I want to focus on and get out to everyone ... have a fire evacuation plan set up with your family. That is the only thing that saved my daughter's life. We just discussed it, I want to say, three weeks before it happened. Have a fire evacuation plan."

Jessee said she and Carliegh had passed the Chapa home just down the block, where a fire killed two brothers in May and discussed fire safety.

Jessee told abc13 her daughter is doing as well as can be expected. The little girl often experiences nightmares.

"She blamed herself so much. She's distraught. She feels like she didn't save her brother. She said 'Mama, I'm sorry I couldn't find Shane,'" said Jessee.

"I keep telling her she tried, she tried to open his little door. He screamed out, 'I can't see, I can't see.' She said she heard my voice in her head that said if you can't find your little brother, get out your window and call 911."

At times with tears in her eyes, Jessee recalled what happened that morning. She said her husband broke a back window, saw Carliegh was safe, and went back in the house for Shane.

"The minute he saw my daughter and didn't see Shane was when he went back in the house. That's when my daughter said she heard an explosion and they never came out," said Jessee. "He was a Marine. He's a hero. He's been a hero in more ways than one. He served our country then he tried to serve our family. His son was his pride and joy."

Firefighters found Shane hiding in his closet underneath clothes. Paramedics tried to save him. His father, Bobby Owens, was found inside the living room. Neither survived.

In the week following the fire, Jessee said she can't thank the community enough for their support. She also said she wants to stress the importance of making sure your children know what to do if a fire happens in your home.

"Thank you to everyone. I didn't know I had so many people who loved me and cared for me. We say good morning passing strangers, do we ever really mean it? I think we do. I think we do," said Jessee. "Put a fire alarm in every bedroom. Practice fire drills with your children."

Firefighters said the blaze started in a kitchen. Jessee said an electrical outlet caught fire. Nothing had been plugged into the outlet.