Two displaced by early-morning fire at duplexes east of downtown Modesto

Two duplex units just east of downtown Modesto suffered extensive damage when a fire broke out early Tuesday.

At about 1:45 a.m., Modesto and Ceres fire department crews responded to 321 Jennie St. to find the residences burning and Modesto police helping evacuate occupants.

A second alarm was sounded because the fire was heavy and other structures were at risk.

One of the duplex units was unoccupied and boarded up, perhaps undergoing renovations, Modesto fire Battalion Chief Darin Jesberg said. That unit had most of the fire damage, including a collapsed roof, he said.

Two people were displaced from the second damaged unit and were aided by the American Red Cross. No one was injured in the fire, Jesberg said.

Investigators were working to determine the origin and cause of the fire.

The duplex building was valued at roughly $250,000, the battalion chief said, and structural damage was estimated at $100,000.

This story was originally published August 21, 2018 at 10:44 AM.