The Sunday morning house fire in Hollister started in a garage converted for recreational use, the fire chief said.
The fire on Park Street between Sally and Prune streets was reported shortly after 10 a.m. Sunday.
Fire Chief Fred Cheshire said that while authorities do not know the cause, they believe it started in the garage and worked its way to the home’s attic. The house was a complete loss in the fire, with a lot of smoke damage done as crews extinguished the blaze, the chief said.
There was one occupant, a male adult, home at the time. He escaped uninjured.
Cheshire described the garage as being “set up as a recreational area” and referred to it as something that might be called a “man cave.”
Firefighters with the city and county departments worked together to put out the blaze. It took about 19 minutes to contain the fire upon arrival, Cheshire said.
American Red Cross volunteers provided blankets to the residents on Sunday morning. On Monday, they offered financial assistance to help the residents purchase new clothing and food.
