Southeast Fresno home burns to the ground; firefighters unsure if people were inside

A vacant two-story home in southeast Fresno burned to the ground Friday night during a 3-alarm fire that brought out 45 firefighters.

The home on First Street and Platt Avenue was a complete loss, according to Battalion Chief Michael Alforque.

When the fire began around 7:30 p.m., firefighters rushed over from the nearby station to see heavy smoke and flames. They were able to contain the fire to the home, although a nearby home did receive smoke damage, Alforque said.

Firefighters were not able to go inside the home due to the risk of collapse. Alforque said there were no injuries to firefighters or anyone else that the department knows of.

He was not able to confirm whether anyone was inside, but firefighters plan to comb through the home as soon as it is safe.

The home was boarded up with no power or gas on. Neighbors told firefighters that homeless people have been frequenting the area, Alforque said.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Seven engines and four trucks were on scene because of the flame length and amount of embers thrown by the fire, Alforque said.

This story was originally published November 23, 2018 at 10:14 PM.