Fire damages west Modesto home

A fire at a home in west Modesto caused about $80,000 in damage late Sunday afternoon and displaced several people.

The fire broke out about 5:15 p.m., a short time after residents left the home, said Modesto Battalion Chief Randy Anderson.

Firefighters first on scene found heavy smoke and flames coming from the west side of the home in the 400 block of Laurel Avenue.

The roof was beginning to cave, so crews battled the blaze offensively. The house was dense with furnishings, making firefighters’ search for occupants difficult.

They had the fire under control after about 10 minutes, Anderson said.

As many as six people were displaced from the home but an exact number was not known Sunday evening. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

This story was originally published August 9, 2015 at 6:26 PM with the headline "Fire damages west Modesto home."