Fires, rescues and rollover crash keep Modesto firefighters busy for 24 hours
Modesto firefighters responded to a series of emergencies over a 24-hour stretch this week, including a house fire in a previously burned vacant home, a vehicle rollover near Knights Ferry and a man rescued from the sludge at the bottom of a Modesto pool.
The Modesto Fire Department said that while total call volume wasn’t unusually high, the number of fire-related responses Tuesday was above average.
“Our firefighters train for a wide range of emergencies — fires, vehicle accidents, rope rescues, medical emergencies and much more,” said Fire Department spokesman Capt. Joe Spani. “They remain ready to respond to any possible situation to help the people living, working and passing through our communities.”
Here’s a breakdown of some of the day’s notable calls:
Man stuck in pool sludge
Firefighters were dispatched around 7:45 a.m. Tuesday to a home on the 1800 block of Langton Drive in Modesto for a report of a person stuck in a drained swimming pool.
The man had been trying to clean out the pool when he became trapped in thick sludge and couldn’t climb out because of the slippery surface. Firefighters removed him without injury.
Fire reignites in vacant Modesto home
Around 7:20 p.m., crews responded to multiple 911 calls about smoke coming from a vacant one-story house on the 400 block of Bowen Avenue.
The property had previously burned, according to the Fire Department. Flames spread into the attic and burned through the roof before firefighters knocked down the blaze and completed a search of the home. The fire remains under investigation.
Motorhome fire in Ceres threatens building
At about 10:15 p.m., firefighters were dispatched to the 3800 block of Moffet Road in Ceres for a report of a motorhome on fire. Crews arrived to find the RV fully involved, with flames threatening a nearby commercial building and a parked big-rig trailer.
Firefighters contained the blaze before it could spread to the structure. No injuries were reported. Investigators are working to determine the cause.
Rollover crash near Knights Ferry
Just after 11 p.m., emergency crews responded to a crash near Frankenheimer and Sonora roads, west of Knights Ferry. A driver had failed to navigate a 90-degree turn and the vehicle rolled down an embankment.
Two people were hurt. One was flown by helicopter to a local trauma center, and the other was taken by ground ambulance.
Other calls
A suspicious item found inside a home on Blaker Road prompted a joint response from the Ceres Police Department and Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office. Police made an arrest when they confirmed the presence of an explosive device inside the home.
A vehicle fire was reported in a driveway on Graham Lane in Ceres.
Firefighters also responded to several small vegetation fires and a medical call in which a person was pronounced dead at the scene.
