Calif. 5-Alarmer Tears Through Unfinished Townhomes
Source San Jose Mercury News, Calif.
A raging five-alarm fire ripped right through three large townhomes under construction in Santa Clara Wednesday night, shooting flames 10 stories into the air as awe-struck witnesses snapped photos at the scene and miles way.
No one was hurt in the blaze and 50 firefighters who responded were able to keep the flames from reaching nearby homes that were occupied, Chief Bill Kelly said.
But a trio of three-story townhomes that were in the framing stages were a total loss.
"They had 100-foot flames on them," Kelly said. "So, pretty good fire."
He added: "People saw (the fire) from a mile or so away. (It was) a pretty good flare-up there."
It took firefighters about an hour to control the flames, which were reported at 10 p.m. at a residential complex at 1924 Hillebrant Place, just north of El Camino Real and not far from City Hall.
The first units on scene instantly realized the fire was significant and called in scores of resources from the San Jose and Santa Clara County fire departments, Kelly said. Their main concern was that the fire would spread to the nearby townhomes that are already built and occupied.
"It was very intense," Kelly said. "It was spreading from one unfinished house to the next. We were very fortunate that there was no wind (Wednesday night). Often times you have the wind and the ambers will catch other homes on fire."
It will take until Thursday morning, at least, to have any idea how or where the fire started. But Kelly said there was no immediate reason to suspect it was suspicious.
Dozens, if not hundreds, of spectators flocked to the scene as witnesses reported seeing the flames from as far away as the Saratoga hills. Amateur photographers and cellphone-wielding onlookers snapped photos of the massive flames and posted them online.
Copyright 2012 - San Jose Mercury News, Calif.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
