Homeowner concerned after Ceres house fire displaces him, his ‘old man’ dog
A Ceres man and his dog have been displaced from a Wednesday afternoon house fire that started in the attic.
The Modesto Fire Department and Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Protection District were called around 3 p.m. to Douglas Drive, near the intersection of East Hatch and Moffett roads, Stanislaus Consolidated Battalion Chief Clint Bray said.
Crews found the attic fire, which an initial investigation showed started from an exhaust fan, Bray said. They were able to contain the scene in about 15 minutes.
Although Bray said the damage should be repairable, homeowner Ron Reed said he’s concerned about his short-term situation.
Reed said he wasn’t home when the fire started, but he rushed there after a neighbor called and told him what was going on. He entered the house and tried to douse the flames with water until firefighters told him to leave.
He’s especially worried about the effect the displacement will have on his dog, Dozer, who has a tumor and other health problems.
“My dog and me don’t have a place to stay,” Reed said. “He’s an old man.”
Reed said Dozer was confused by what happened and tried to run back into the house after Reed brought him out. His niece lives down the street, but he has other dogs Dozer might not get along with.
However, Reed did say he’s grateful for the fast response by the firefighters.
“They took care of it, they got it out pretty quickly,” he said.
This story was originally published August 26, 2021 at 8:47 AM.
