Dec. 20--ENCINITAS, Calif. -- A family of five narrowly escaped a fierce blaze that roared through their large two-story home in Encinitas Tuesday, destroying the home and everything inside.
The fire at 1820 Crest Drive near Birmingham Drive, broke out around 6:30 a.m., according to an Encinitas Fire Department dispatcher. It sent flames and huge plumes of thick black smoke into the North County sky and continued burning for several hours.
"The family basically got out with the clothes on their backs," said Encinitas Fire Marshal Bob Scott, noting that the American Red Cross was assisting the victims with temporary housing.
When firefighters arrived at the blaze, the home was already engulfed in flames. The first fire crew immediately called for reinforcements, but firefighters quickly determined that they would be unable to save the structure.
About 45 firefighters from Rancho Santa Fe, Solana Beach, Del Mar and Vista worked to keep the fire from spreading by spraying down the surrounding vegetation and nearby buildings.
By 7:45 a.m., the fire had demolished the roof of the house and crews were waiting for the second story to collapse.
According to real estate records, the 3,135-square-foot, three-bedroom home sold in 2006 for $1,790,000. The home's current value was estimated at just over $1 million, according to Zillow.com.
The two-story home, which had an ocean view, was declared a total loss. Scott estimated the loss at between $400,000 and $700,000.
Foul play was not suspected, according to Scott, who said the fire appeared to have started in a laundry room, with the exact cause under investigation.
