Massive blaze devours two Crestline homes

By DOUGLAS W. MOTLEY
Senior Writer

A fire of unknown origin first reported around 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5, laid waste to two hillside homes on Chillon Drive in Crestline. Arriving firefighters found one house fully involved with flames. Fanned by a 30-mile-an-hour Santa Ana windstorm gust, the fire spread to a second home.

Downed powerlines sparked and exploding propane tanks were heard as firefighters fought to subdue the stubborn blaze. It reportedly took fire crews nearly two hours to knock down the flames that had already consumed the homes and surrounding vegetation. Units remained on scene overnight to complete mop-up activities. No injuries were reported; however, one person was in unknown condition following treatment for smoke inhalation.

This was the second set of twin residential blazes in recent months. A Crestline home on Finhaut Drive was destroyed by flames on Aug. 26, followed by another blaze on Bernard Drive on Oct. 10. Noting that fireplaces and space heaters are responsible for many residential structure fires, County Fire Department Public Information Officer Eric Sherwin said homeowners can often prevent such occurrences by having chimneys inspected and cleaned, if necessary, and not leaving space heaters unattended, as they can easily be knocked over by pets. He added to never leave your home when the fireplace is lit or when food is cooking in the oven, and make sure your dryer vent is not clogged with lint.