Here’s what investigators found about the causes of three major Stanislaus County fires

Fire investigators have released causes of several fires that resulted in major damage at properties throughout the county in May.

• A fire on Johnson Street in Turlock on May 13 destroyed multiple structures and even brought down a grain silo. Stanislaus Regional Fire Investigation Unit Supervisor Dustin Bruley said the owner had hired someone to haul away old farm equipment. The man was using a torch to dismantle a piece of equipment when some of the sparks landed on the dry grass and quickly spread.
  
  

• On May 22, a fire broke out in a condominium at Scenic Drive and Rose Avenue. The fire spread to three other units and caused $750,000 in damage. Bruley said it started on the patio of one of the complexes and while a cause could not be determined, investigators could not rule out “improper disposal of smoking materials.”

• A fire that destroyed A&R Appliance Repair on Santa Fe in Denair on May 22 started inside, Bruley said. There were multiple electrical appliances and wiring in the area of origin, so investigators could not determine the exact cause of the fire, he said.

This story was originally published August 9, 2021 at 4:00 AM.

Erin Tracy

The Modesto Bee

209-578-2366

Erin Tracy covers criminal justice and breaking news. She began working at the Modesto Bee in 2010 and previously worked at papers in Woodland and Eureka. She is a graduate of Humboldt State University.