Fire erupts in trailer because of faulty wiring, spreads to 2 homes – 12 displaced

About 12 people were displaced early Tuesday when a fire damaged two Modesto homes and destroyed an occupied travel trailer, according to the Modesto Fire Department.

Firefighters were dispatched shortly after 1 a.m. to a report of a potential structure fire at Madera Avenue and Center Street, north of the Modesto Municipal Golf Course. The travel trailer, parked behind a residence, was on fire, acting Battalion Chief Darin Jesberg said.

“The first unit to arrive realized there was a heavy fire load and upgraded to a second alarm,” drawing crews from both the Modesto and Ceres fire departments, he said. Three houses were at risk, but crews were able to save all three. “One had significant fire damage on the outside but the crews did a terrific job with salvage operations and were able to save the contents,” Jesberg said.

American Red Cross is providing aid to residents displaced from that home and a second home that had enough damage to make it immediately uninhabitable, he said. One person living in the trailer – which was destroyed – also received assistance.

A fire investigator was told that the person living in the trailer was walking to it and saw the glow of the fire, Jesberg said. Residents admitted that extension cords were used to provide power to the trailer, he said, and the cause of the fire was found to be accidental because of faulty wiring.

The Modesto Irrigation District had to isolate a two-block radius of power lines for the safety of firefighters, Jesberg said. MID workers were at the scene later Tuesday morning working to repair damage and restore power.

The address of the initial call was the 100 block of Madera, Jesberg said, but most of the damage turned out to be to a residence on the 400 block of Center.

The fire came at the end of a long, hot day for firefighters.

At about 12:25 p.m. Monday, Modesto and Ceres crews battled a two-alarm fire at a single-family home on West Roseburg Avenue at Kearney Avenue. Residents got out safely, but three puppies succumbed to the smoke and heat.

A few hours later, MFD and Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Protection District crews were dispatched to a grass fire at East La Loma Park. About two acres burned.

This story was originally published May 23, 2017 at 8:17 AM with the headline "Fire erupts in trailer because of faulty wiring, spreads to 2 homes – 12 displaced."