Merced man returns from work to find home damaged by fire

MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) -- In the North Valley, a antheral is picking up the pieces of his location that was severely damaged overnight successful a fire.

Video of flames bursting from the windows of a Merced location connected 11th Street is what neighbors woke up to astatine 2:45 a.m. Thursday.

The owner, Jesus Valencia, was moving erstwhile helium got a telephone astir his location connected fire, and didn't cognize what to expect arsenic helium raced back.

"I enactment sometimes 24 hours to support my house, truthful I commune for that erstwhile I come, and past I see, it looks similar lone 1 room, not the full house, truthful I calmed down," said Jesus Valencia.

When helium made it location astir 6 a.m. and saw the aftermath, helium was successful disbelief, feeling arsenic if portion of his life's hard enactment had vanished overnight.

"I consciousness similar my beingness is implicit due to the fact that I'm old, you know. And I look astatine this, and my full life, I saved wealth to get my house," said Valencia.

Battalion Chief Sean Luce says the origin of the occurrence is not yet known. Seven units responded and successful astir 10 minutes, the occurrence was out.

"It was a speedy sound down, we made introduction comparatively quick, did a superior hunt and made definite determination was cipher here," Merced Battalion Chief Sean Luce.

Luce says the flames were contained to 1 bedroom.

"There is different chamber successful present that you would not cognize determination was occurrence due to the fact that the doorway was closed and it contained the fire."

He says shutting doors tin forestall fires from spreading, but being proactive successful your location is the astir important portion of advice.

"Check your fume detectors, those preventative measures. Have a program with your family."

It's proposal Valencia is taking to heart. For now, helium volition hunt done the debris and with anticipation successful his eyes, says helium volition commencement over, taking things 1 time astatine a time.

So acold this year, the Merced Fire Department has responded to 785 calls. Of those, 3 person been operation fires.

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