Three fires displace 11 people in Stanislaus County
Eleven people were displaced as a result of three house fires in Stanislaus County on Wednesday, all of which were started accidentally.
The first, in Turlock, started in a garage that was converted into an apartment at 706 N. Broadway Ave. The Turlock Fire Department arrived just after 6 a.m. to find heavy smoke coming from the garage and a resident trying to extinguish the fire with a garden hose.
The man was injured while trying to extinguish the flames, according to a news release, and had to be taken by ambulance to Emanuel Medical Center.
Crews had the fire under control after about 15 minutes, but it destroyed the interior of the home, displacing the 59-year-old resident. The fire caused about $45,000 in damage to the structure and $5,000 to its contents.
Investigators determined it started when he discarded a match used for smoking.
Four hours later, Turlock firefighters were dispatched to another structure at 215 High St.
Heavy smoke and flames were coming from the home when crews arrived. They were told one person was possibly inside. Firefighters searched the home but did not find any victims. It took them about 25 minutes to extinguish the flames.
The fire displaced five people and caused $125,000 in damage.
It was caused by an unattended candle, according to the Turlock Fire Department.
Unattended smoking materials started a fire in a garage at 2324 Dora St. in Modesto on Wednesday afternoon, according to Modesto Fire Department Battalion Chief Hugo Patino.
The Modesto Fire Department responded to the home with the assistance of Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Protection District firefighters who were in the area training.
A propane tank in the garage kept firefighters in a defensive mode until they could suppress the flames and get on the roof to begin ventilating the structure.
The fire caused about $40,000 in damage. It was contained to the garage, but power had to be cut to the home, displacing two adults, two children and an infant.
Bee staff writer Erin Tracy can be reached at etracy@modbee.com or (209) 578-2366. Follow her on Twitter @ModestoBeeCrime.
This story was originally published March 4, 2015 at 7:41 PM with the headline "Three fires displace 11 people in Stanislaus County."