A thick, swirling cloud of brown and white smoke rose more than
100 feet as a stubborn fire ripped through the attic of a home in
southeast Hollister Monday morning.
A thick, swirling cloud of brown and white smoke rose more than 100 feet as a stubborn fire ripped through the attic of a home in southeast Hollister Monday morning.
About 28 firefighters from the Hollister and San Benito County fire departments responded to the blaze at 1571 Cembellin Drive at about 9:30 a.m.
The fire, which caused an estimated $120,000 in damage to the home, could be seen from several miles away, drawing curious and concerned residents to the scene.
“I own some property around the corner, so when I saw the smoke from where I live on Fairview Road I had to come and make sure everything was OK,” said George Gutierrez as he watched firefighters battle the blaze.
Fire officials said the fire started in the kitchen when a young woman, whose name was not released, spilled oil on the stove and it burst into flames.
“The fire was sucked up through the ventilation system and made it into the attic, where upon our arrival we had an attic fire going,” Hollister Fire Marshal Mike O’Connor said.
The majority of the fire was trapped in the attic and did not ignite the home’s primary living spaces. Being trapped in the attic allowed it to continue to build until it burned through the roof, fire officials said.
The young woman who spilled the oil had actually put out the fire in the kitchen but did not know about the smoldering fire in the attic, O’Connor said.
“They didn’t even know they had a fire. The neighbor across the street had to tell them,” he said.
The neighbor reportedly saw large flames pushing through a hole in the roof and ran over to tell the young woman about it. The neighbor got her out of the house and helped her call the fire department.
“She thought she had put out the fire on the stove, but little did she know that it had gone up in the attic already,” O’Connor said. “That’s why we ask people to call us when they have a cooking fire. We’ll come over and check it out. There’s no charge for it.”
It took all the resources that the 28 firefighters and four fire engines could muster to put out the fire.
“I feel we did well. I mean, we did everything we should have,” O’Connor said. “It was just a stubborn fire. It got up there and once it was up there it had well-seated itself in the attic. Prior to our arriving it had already broken through the roof.”
Firefighters battled the blaze from about 9:30 a.m. to about 1 p.m. when they were certain it was out.
“That’s the problem when you get an attic fire – It’s a lot of work,” O’Connor said. “With all the work and heat in the building (a firefighter) can only take about 15 minutes or so and then you have to come out.”
No one was injured in the fire and the family is reportedly insured.
The San Benito County Chapter of the American Red Cross is helping the family find temporary housing and is working with them through the insurance process.
