By Barbara Arrigoni
The Oroville Mercury Register
OROVILLE, Calif. — On the way back to the fire station from a call that had proved unfounded Wednesday, a crew from El Medio Fire Department spotted smoke at another location, checked it out, and discovered a house burning on Helman Street in south Oroville.
The 11:50 a.m. blaze was well under way when the crew arrived.
“It was showing a good amount of flame out of the back window,” said El Medio Fire Chief Rusty Ohlhausen, outside the smoldering building.
The crew immediately contacted 9-1-1 dispatchers for assistance from the Oroville Fire Department.
Within 20 minutes, the flames were out, leaving blackened windows and eaves around the single-story, three-bedroom house.
Fire hoses snaked around the front yard and up to the roof, where crews had cut an opening to allow smoke to escape.
Some wisps of smoke still oozed out of the building as firefighters made sure nothing was still burning inside.
Despite the quick action, two bedrooms and the living room were destroyed.
Smoke damaged the rest of the house and the attic.
After several household items and debris were removed from inside the charred structure, Ohlhausen said investigators were able to tell the fire started in the back bedroom, where the first crew had initially seen flames.
“The fire was burning by the bed and running up the wall,” Ohlhausen continued. “We’ll look to see what caused it.”
He estimated damage from $40,000 to $50,000, but also noted the crews saved about $60,000 worth.
“It was a good save by our guys,” the chief added.
No one was injured, but a renter who wasn’t identified stood outside watching and talking to fire officials at the scene. The man was clad only in jeans and socks, and his face wore an expression of shock. He said he was “too stressed out” to talk.
Oroville Fire Chief Charles Hurley found shoes in good condition inside the house and took the pair to the renter.
Ohlhausen said the building’s landlord found the displaced renter a a place to stay.
Copyright 2010 Oroville Mercury Register
All Rights Reserved