COARSEGOLD — A house that was spared from the flames yesterday afternoon burned to the ground in the early morning hours.
A home on the northwest corner of Highway 41 and Black Oak Road was saved by firefighters yesterday when a fire that destroyed two outbuildings was stopped before it could damage the home.
But this morning just after 3:30 a.m., firefighters were dispatched back to the same residence when a structure fire was reported.
As resources were en route to the fire, they were advised that they needed to stage outside the area, as there were reports of shots fired in the area. However, Sheriff’s deputies investigated and determined that the sounds reported were ammunition exploding from the heat of the fire.
Cal Fire Engine 4285 and Madera County Engine 8 were first at scene, and reported the home was fully involved, with multiple storage sheds also burning.
With the threat to the wildlands and surrounding homes, deputies went door-to-door along Black Oak Road and the properties just to the north to warn residents to be prepared if they needed to evacuate.
Cal Fire Engines 4254, 4255, 4264, 4270, 4275, and 4284 also responded, along with Madera County Engines 8 and 10 and Squad 10, and Cal Fire Dozer 4245. An Engine 10 firefighter diverted to Station 8 to get their water tender, and with no response from Water Tender 17, a second dispatch was toned out for Water Tenders 16 and 18.
Just minutes after suppression efforts began, it was discovered that a power line was down posing an additional hazard to firefighters.
Though the house and three outbuildings were destroyed, the fire was contained to the structures and stopped from spreading to surrounding vegetation or other homes.
By 5:15 a.m., the fire was contained, and crews had hours of “extensive mop-up” ahead of them.
All residents got safely out of the home and no one was injured.
The fire on Friday afternoon that destroyed one shed and a pump house on the same property was started by an electrical issue, according to the Cal Fire investigator, and PG&E had shut off the power. It had not been turned back on at the time this fire started, and the cause remains under investigation.
https://sierranewsonline.com/outbuildings-burn-house-saved-in-oak-fire/
