Fire destroys most of Oakdale-area home’s roof. Residents escape harm
Two people were displaced by a fire Saturday night that burned most of the roof of their home near the Stanislaus River between Oakdale and Knights Ferry.
About 8:45 p.m., just minutes after firefighters also responded to a fatal crash in the Oakdale area, Modesto Fire Department crews were dispatched to a structure fire call on Stone Avenue.
They arrived to find a single-family home with flames coming from the roof. Crews attacked the fire from inside the house and contained it to the roof and attic.
About three-quarters of the roof burned, Operations Division Chief Michael Lillie said by phone Sunday morning. “It’s pretty much gone.” The approximately 2,000-square-foot home also suffered extensive water damage. Structure and content loss is estimated at $200,000.
The roof fire was reported by the residents themselves, who smelled smoke and sought out the source.
Typically, Lillie said, roof fires are reported by neighbors or passersby who see the flames before occupants know there’s a problem, he said, but this home is way out by Orange Blossom Road and has trees all around it. “We really couldn’t even see it until we were right up on it,” Lillie said.
The origin and cause of the blaze are being explored by the Stanislaus Regional Fire Investigation Unit.
This story was originally published March 28, 2021 at 11:07 AM.
