MENIFEE -- Two days after a Christmas tree fire gutted Gary Davila's two-story Feather Creek Drive home and left his wife and son hospitalized, neighbors, friends and strangers continue to rally to the family's side.

Monday afternoon, Davila visited what remains of his home and met with neighbors in the small, tight-knit community of tract homes in south Menifee, located off Garbani Road.

Monday evening, those neighbors held a prayer vigil to show their support.

"The community has been unbelievable," Davila said. "Right from the moment it happened."

Since Saturday night's fire, Gary Davila has spent most of his time going back and forth between hospitals in Wildomar and San Bernardino County. His wife, Lisa, is being treated for cracked ribs and a broken pelvis at Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar and 3-year-old son, Caleb, is on life support suffering from smoke inhalation at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center's in Colton.

The couple's daughter Mikayla, 6, was not seriously injured after her father, with a house filled with smoke and flames and no other options, dropped her from a second-story window onto the lawn below.

Gary Davila needed about 60 stitches on his hands, which were cut when he broke out the window of an upstairs bedroom to help his family escape.

The fire started about 9 p.m. when the holiday tree burst into flames as the result of a defective electrical cord, Davila said fire officials told him.

California Department of Forestry investigators said Monday the tree had not been watered for several days.

Davila said his children were asleep upstairs when his wife walked downstairs and saw the family room aglow.

"She yelled up that the tree was on fire," Gary said. "It happened so fast. Once it ignited, it went straight into the ventilation system. It was shocking how fast the house filled with smoke."

Davila tried to put the fire out, but flames quickly spread inside the walls and up into the attic, he said.

Gary woke Mikayla, who was sleeping her parents' room, and carried her to Caleb's bedroom.

After several attempts, the father was able to smash a window with his hands and then tried to force a mattress out and onto the lawn below to cushion the landing as they prepared to jump.

When that failed, he said, he held his daughter out the window and lowered her as far as he could before letting go.

"At that point, I couldn't breathe and I ended up jumping out," he said. "My wife thought Caleb was already out and I thought he was still with her."

Lisa Davila jumped and, despite Gary's effort to catch her, suffered several injuries.

Once together, the couple realized Caleb was still inside.

With the help of neighbors, a ladder was raised to an upstairs window to try and rescue the boy. However, the ladder proved too short, Davila said. About that time, firefighters arrived and found the boy in an upstairs hallway, suffering from respiratory distress, fire officials said.

"It was amazing how fast they were able to get in, find Caleb and get out," Gary said.

The Davila family is currently being assisted by the American Red Cross.

"I can't say enough about the Red Cross," he added. "They've set us up in a hotel and given us money for food and clothes."

Neighbor Mary Wilson has organized a neighborhood effort to help the family. A sign in her front yard -- just around the corner from the burned-out home -- lets passersby know they can drop off food, clothing, gift certificates and other donations at her place.

"We've had people who were driving by on the freeway (Interstate 215) and saw the fire the other night come by and ask how they could help," said Wilson, who also helped organized Monday evening's prayer vigil outside the home.

Donations can be dropped off or mailed to Mary Wilson's home at 28555 Eickhoff Drive, Menifee, CA 92584. Call Wilson, before 9 p.m., at 679-5269.

The National Safety Council states that Christmas trees account for more than 400 residential fires each year, according to the Riverside County Fire Department's Web site.

However, the county fire department does not keep statistics on how many local fires are caused by Christmas trees or holiday decorations, said CDF public information officer Patrick Chandler.

Information on Christmas tree safety is available from the department at www.rvcfire.org.

Contact staff writer John Hunneman at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2603 or hunneman@californian.com.