A transient was able to escape a burning home in Central Fresno, thanks to a bystander. The fire broke out at around 8:40 a.m. Friday morning near Belmont and Effie.
Fresno fire crews say they received reports of smoke coming out of the second story of the vacant house. They say a bystander knocked on the door to see if anyone was inside the burning home. A transient who was sleeping inside woke up and took off.
Crews arrived at the scene in about five minutes. Fresno Fire Department public information officer Koby Johns said intense heat made it difficult to extinguish the blaze. He explained, “The roof failed about 13 minutes into this fire and so we had to switch our tactic operation to our defensive operation, meaning we put up the big ladder and had to shoot water from the outside, rather than being able to put water on it from the inside.”
It took fire crews about 40 minutes to put out the fire. No one was hurt. Investigators are still out here trying to figure out exactly what sparked the blaze. They say the vacant house is a total loss.
TXT 24
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