Turlock fire injures two; Modesto home scorched

A house fire in Turlock killed a cat and injured two people early Sunday, several hours after a Modesto blaze that three people escaped unharmed.

Flames destroyed a garage at 1123 Pioneer Ave. before Turlock Fire Department crews arrived at 3:30 a.m. to find heavy smoke pouring from all windows and vents, the department reported. The fire had spread to the kitchen, and other rooms sustained smoke damage as well, according to a news release.

Fourteen firefighters stretched more than 700 feet of hose and controlled flames in about 15 minutes, fire Chief Bob Talloni said in the release.

Two occupants suffering from smoke inhalation and minor injuries were taken to a hospital, while a third was unharmed. Information such as age and gender was unavailable. The fire’s cause remains under investigation.

Three people escaped while their living room went up in flames late Saturday in east Modesto.

The occupants smelled smoke about 10 p.m. while outside the home in the 1000 block of Gemini Court, according to the Modesto Fire Department, whose investigator was unable to pinpoint the fire’s cause. The residents received lodging help from the American Red Cross, said Battalion Chief Randy Anderson, who estimated damage at $60,000.

Did a late-night downpour help knock down flames?

“Not at all,” Anderson said. “It just made it more miserable.”

This story was originally published March 6, 2016 at 7:30 PM with the headline "Turlock fire injures two; Modesto home scorched."