Crime & Safety
House Fire Chars Garage
No injuries in garage fire, but the family renting a two-story house at Lynwood Terrace off Piedmont Road will look for a new place to live.
Updated: 1:48 p.m.
The Milpitas Fire Department is investigating the cause of a fire that ignited a garage Friday night and reduced its contents to ashes.
The family had gone out to dinner, said the father, who asked not to be named, and they had not noticed anything suspicious when they left the house.
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One person, a 19-year-old daughter, was inside when the smoke detector sounded and got out. A neighbor called for help shortly before 7 p.m. after seeing smoke coming from the garage.
The first engine to arrive on the scene was from , said Captain Rick Frawley, and the firefighters used an attack hose line to quell the fire.
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"They basically put water in the main body of the fire in the garage," he said.
Other firefighters went into the house from the side to search with thermal imaging cameras for any trapped occupants or pets. They also put tarps over valuables to protect them from water damage, he said.
In the end, water and smoke damaged parts of the house, but the firefighters contained the fire to the garage. It did not spread into the attic, roof, or other areas.
"Once it got into the attic there's a good chance they would have lost the house," said Eric Emmanuele, fire investigator.
Instead, the family lost three motorcycles, several bicycles and a bunch of tools, said the father.
Last month, . However, at 2241 Lynwood Terrace, the dryer is not located in the garage, but the laundry room.
Milpitas police officers helped evacuate residents in nearby homes as a precaution, and no injuries were reported.
Assistance was provided by San Jose and Fremont Fire Departments. Personnel included 17 firefighters, three engine companies, a Mobile Command Unit, two ladder trucks, one Urban Search and Rescue Unit and five police officers.
Further assistance was also provided by Santa Clara County Fire Associates, American Red Cross and PG&E.
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