Sept. 22--MANTECA -- Jumper cables used to bypass an electrical meter made it difficult for firefighters to extinguish a house fire early Thursday morning, the Manteca Fire Department said.
About 12:30 a.m., firefighters responded to a fire in the 400 block of East Alameda. The intense flames prevented firefighters from making entry into the house right away and jumper cables used to illegally bypass an electrical meter also hampered firefighting efforts because the power could not be shut off immediately.
The house's living room and kitchen were damaged by the fire, according to the fire department, and the bedrooms had significant smoke damage. The estimated loss to the building and contents is estimated to be $110,000.
No residents were home at the time. No one was injured.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Contact Sophia Kazmi at 925-847-2122. Follow her at Twitter.com/sophiakazmi.
