By DOUGLAS W. MOTLEY
Senior Writer
A pre-dawn blaze of yet-to-be-determined origin laid waste to a Crestline residence in the 600 block of Arth Drive on Monday, Dec. 8.
According to San Bernardino County Fire Department Public Information Officer Shawn Millerick, the first crews began arriving around 2 a.m. and discovered huge flames emanating from the street level of the home.
Burned wooden structure with wheels and debris.
“The lone occupant, an adult female, was able to evacuate safely, while a second resident was not home at the time,” Millerick said, adding that firefighters were able to gain control and knock down the flames around 4 a.m., with help from five County Fire engine companies and an additional engine company from CalFire.
The County Fire press release posted on Facebook stated that crews assumed an exterior defensive strategy, deploying hose streams to multiple sides of the home, prioritizing knockdown of the fire and preventing exposure to the neighboring house before entering the structure. A hazard alert was broadcast due to a partial collapse of a cantilevered deck at the rear of the structure.
Asked what might have caused the blaze, Millerick said, “That and the estimated dollar amount of damage to the property is still under investigation.” When asked whether there were any difficult or dangerous moments during the fire, he replied, “Nobody was injured; the only life hazard was the partial collapse of a deck at the rea of the homes.”
Despite the enormity of the fire, firefighters were able to save neighboring homes and there was no threat to forest vegetation.
Editor’s note: A GoFundMe account was established to help the homeowner after this fire: http://bit.ly/4rU5jCi.
The account states that “early Monday morning, Kimiko and her son Riku lost their home in a devastating house fire. Just after 1 a.m., Kimiko woke up to the smell of smoke. In a matter of hours, they lost everything. They only have the clothes on their backs are still in shock as they try to process the loss of their home and belongings. Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a real difference as they work to recover from this devastating event.”
As of Dec. 12, $36,054 had been raised with contributions ranging from $10 to $1,000.
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