Modesto homes evacuated after flames engulf vacant house

Stanislaus County sheriff's deputies evacuated two homes after an overnight fire from a nearby vacant house threatened to spread in Modesto.

Firefighters established a defensive line, stopping the raging fire from seriously damaging the nearby homes, according to the Modesto Fire Department.

The fire was reported about 1:20 a.m. at the vacant house in the 100 block of Santa Ana Avenue near Yosemite Boulevard. Firefighters arrived and found flames had engulfed the vacant house and a detached garage.

The deputies evacuated residents from the nearby homes as firefighters stretched hose lines into places. Fire officials said the firefighters took a defensive stance to protect the nearby homes.

Other firefighters brought in additional hose lines and made forcible entry to gain access to the fire. Fire officials said the firefighters kept the flames from escaping the vacant house through a window that had been shattered by the heat.

The firefighters got the blaze under control, and the nearby homes were limited to exposure damage. The fire caused an estimated $350,000 in damage. Investigators had not determined the cause of the fire.

Seven fire engines and one truck responded to the fire, including an engine from the Ceres Fire Department. No injuries were reported.

This story was originally published October 19, 2017 at 9:39 AM with the headline "Modesto homes evacuated after flames engulf vacant house."