Nov. 09--SAN BERNARDINO -- Firefighters battled what was originally a two-alarm fire in an abandoned building at the 2300 block of Leroy Street Friday afternoon.
The second alarm was canceled once firefighters cut their way into the building and discovered it was a mattress fire that filled the building with smoke.
But that's not all they found.
"After a search of the building we discovered the fire was confined to a corner of the first floor in the building," fire spokesman Jason Buchanan said. "Then we found where we believe the squatters burrowed through the walls to make their way to the second floor."
Arson investigators were called out and fire officials estimate about $15,000 in damage just from the fire.
"I'm not sure how much the damage done by the squatters will cost the building owners," Buchanan said. "But we didn't find anyone in the building and no firefighters were hurt fighting the blaze."
Copyright 2013 - San Bernardino County Sun, Calif.
