WILTON – Buffie Crocker and her family may have lost their home and all their belongings, but they are alive.

And that’s what Crocker says is important.

“Having my family,” she said.

Crocker said the family’s three black Labrador retrievers were barking and jumping on the bed early Sunday. She got up, she said, because she figured the dogs, Buddy, Ozzy and Misty, had to go outside.

She went to the top of the stairs and saw that smoke had started to roll up the stairs.

She yelled to her husband, John, that the house was on fire and went to get their son, Devin, 10. They ran down the stairs, got their jackets, and went out the front door to their car.

As the family was going down the stairs, the smoke alarm went off. Just as she was getting in the car, the windows exploded in the living room, she said.

“I flew to the Fire Department,” Crocker said. The family lives on High Street, not too far from the station. When she arrived, Wilton police officer Steve Smith was just getting in a cruiser, she said.

Her husband had stayed behind to move the truck away from the house.

The fire started around the Christmas tree in the living room. It was ruled an electrical fire, and Wilton Fire Chief Sonny Dunham said he believes it was started by the Christmas lights on the tree.

The family had planned to take down the Christmas tree on New Year’s Day, but after loading the truck with trash, they planned a second trip with the tree. Then they discovered the transfer station wasn’t open.

They left the truck loaded in the yard and went to bed Saturday night. As they usually did during the holidays, they left the Christmas tree lights on, she said.

Firefighters from several departments responded to the fire, but the house and the attached garage was already engulfed when they arrived.

The family is staying with Buffie Crocker’s mother, Judy Michaud, in Greene. She plans to transfer her son, a student at Wilton Academy Hill School, to Greene Central School to finish out the year.

Crocker, breakfast manager at Burger King in Farmington, said they plan to rebuild on High Street but it wouldn’t be until spring.

The family has received some money from their insurance company and American Red Cross to buy clothing and other personal items.

Her son was most upset about losing his new glasses, she said.

People have been calling the Wilton Town Office, police station and her workplace to find out how the family is.

“We’re OK,” she said.