Structure Fire
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EmailMEDIA RELEASE
Incident Number: 12-0006728
Information Contact: David Endaya, Battalion Chief
Incident Type: Structure Fire
Date/Time of Incident: February, 4, 2012, 10:47 AM
Incident Location: 700 Block of Jazmin Avenue
Cause: Improperly discarded cigarette
Injuries: None Reported
Number of Personnel: 11
Fire Equipment: 2 Paramedic Engines, 1 Paramedic Truck, 1 Command
Agencies Involved: Ventura City Fire, Ventura Building & Safety
Damage Estimate: $10,000 to structure, No content loss
On the above date and time, Ventura City Firefighters responded to a reported structure fire, with fire reported beneath the structure. Upon arrival, Firefighters found smoke coming from a subfloor space beneath a one story residence. Firefighters quickly crawled beneath the structure, while others made access directly through the tile floor and subfloor construction. A small, but dangerous, fire was discovered in the floor joists and supporting structural members just inside the front door. Using power and hand tools, the Firefighters made access to the threatened area to insure the fire did not intensify or spread. At one point, when the crews were removing a portion of the damaged area, high winds from outside the house fanned embers into a small fire that was extinguished immediately by the crews on scene. A Ventura City Fire Investigator determined that the fire was caused by an improperly discarded cigarette which had blown from the front porch into the subfloor area. The fire had extreme potential for growth given the outside wind conditions. A Ventura Building and Safety official was contacted and consulted on the structural integrity of the floor in the damaged home. Firefighters remained on scene and reconstructed the area that had to be destroyed, allowing the residents to remain in the home and travel safely around the involved floor space. Damages are estimated at $10,000 to the structure and no loss to personal property. The Ventura City Fire Department would like to remind those who choose to smoke to insure they have completely extinguished any cigarette prior to discarding them into an approved receptacle.
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