Los Angeles couple’s harrowing escape as Eaton Fire approached their home caught on video doorbell

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Harrowing video shows California couple escaping from their home

Jeffrey and Cheryll Ku shared a video recorded on their Ring doorbell showing the terrifying moment the Eaton Fire approached their home. (Credit: Jeffrey Ku via Storyful)

Altadena residents Jeffrey and Cheryll Ku shared harrowing footage of their Jan. 7 escape from their home as the Eaton Fire approached.

The Kus are among Los Angeles residents forced to flee from the wildfires that tore through the city. On social media, the Kus described the experience as “34 minutes of pure terror.”

“The Eaton fire had just started in the hillside above us and we had to act FAST,” Jeffrey Ku wrote in an Instagram post. “Winds gusting, no electricity, we grabbed what we could. I took videos of the fire between trips to the car and I never would have imagined how quickly the conditions could get worse. By the time we left, smoke had filled the air making it hard to breath [sic], embers flying everywhere, and the sky was bright orange.”

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A house burns in the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)

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The horrifying clip starts with Cheryll Ku frantically calling to Jeffery, saying “we have a very big problem.” Moments later she can be heard saying “babe, we gotta go.” From there the video alternates between scenes of the couple running in and out of their home with their belongings and near-apocalyptic shots of the Eaton Fire, complete with a fiery red sky.

“Please God. Please God, save us. Please God, save our house, please,” Jeffery can be heard saying in the video before leaving his home for what he “thought would be the last time.”

In his Instagram post, Jeffery Ku said his house was still standing but noted that he knew others who were not as lucky and “lost everything.” Ku also expressed his gratitude for the first responders battling the terrifying blaze.

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Charred street signs stand near a destroyed Lake Avenue structure after the Eaton Fire, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Altadena, California. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)

The Los Angeles wildfires have terrorized residents for a week, have killed at least 24 people and forced thousands to flee for their lives.

On Tuesday, Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley warned of “life-threatening and destructive” winds, adding that the “danger has not yet passed.” Crowley said the department is “carefully managing our operations to ensure that we can quickly respond to any new fires.”

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Vehicles and a house burn as powerful winds fueling devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area force people to evacuate from the Eaton Fire in Altadena, California, Jan. 8, 2025. (Reuters/David Swanson)

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If you would like to help wildfire victims, join FOX Corporation in donating to the American Red Cross’ relief efforts.

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FOX Corporation pledged $1M to the American Red Cross’ California Wildfire relief efforts, which will help the agency provide those in need with safe shelter, hot meals, emotional support, and resources to aid in recovery in the region.

Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.

Related Topics

• LA Fires
• Wildfire
• Disasters
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