Firefighters rescue five dogs in west Modesto house fire

A fire in west Modesto on Friday displaced a family of 15, but firefighters rescued the family’s five dogs, which were hiding underneath a bed.

Modesto Fire Department Battalion Chief Jesse Nicasio said firefighters were dispatched at 5:36 p.m. to a fire at a single-family home in the 200 block of Vine Street. He said heavy smoke was pouring from the home as the first firefighters arrived.

He said family members — nine adults and six children — were outside when firefighters arrived. But he said the five dogs were still in the house. He said firefighters searched and found the dogs hiding under a bed in a bedroom.

Nicasio said the fire appeared to have started outside of the home and entered through the attic. He said the cause remains under investigation. He said the home can be repaired but sustained considerable damage and is not currently habitable.

He said the Red Cross was called to help the family. The Ceres Fire Department assisted Modesto. Five engines, a ladder truck and two battalion chiefs worked the fire. Nicasio said Friday evening was busy for firefighters with structure fires also in Ceres and Turlock.

More information on those two incidents was not available.

This story was originally published May 26, 2017 at 10:09 PM with the headline "Firefighters rescue five dogs in west Modesto house fire."