California Residents displaced by house fire

August 23, 2011 at 10:19 a.m. | Updated August 23, 2011 at 10:19 a.m.

Flames shoot from a window of a house on South East Street in California minutes after the report of a fire with heavy smoke was reported on Tuesday, Aug. 16. The residence, especially a back bedroom, sustained heavy damage in the fire which was of undetermined origin.
Flames shoot from a window of a house on South East Street in California minutes after the report of a fire with heavy smoke was reported on Tuesday, Aug. 16. The residence, especially a back bedroom, sustained heavy damage in the fire which was of undetermined origin.

A house fire on Tuesday, Aug. 16, forced the residents to seek alternate housing.

According to California Fire Chief Allen Smith, the call came at 1:13 p.m. Firefighters, who happened to be about a block away, were on the scene within two minutes and quickly informed the department that multiple trucks were needed.

The trucks were en route by 1:17 p.m. and on the scene within five minutes. The fire which was first indicated by heavy smoke quickly became a conflagration forcing firefighters to ensure a propane tank was kept cool.

The fire was eventually extinguished but not until the house sustained heavy damage. Firefighters cleared the scene at 3:41 p.m.

For more of this story check out the Aug. 24 issue of the California Democrat.