Fire causes $1 million in damages to a home near Clovis

Fire gutted a home outside Clovis early Sunday morning, causing about $1 million in damages, firefighters said.

Fresno County Cal Fire spokesman Jeremiah Wittwer said the home, located near Nees and Leonard avenues, was empty of people when it burned.

Fresno County Fire Batallion Chief Ryan Michaels said the family who lives at the home was out of town when the fire started. He said flames likely broke out hours before the first fire truck arrived around 12:45 a.m.

“It had gone undetected for quite some time. It’s the first foggy night and the neighborhood is relatively quiet and sits off the roadway,” Michaels said. “The fire was very large, very well established before anyone dialed 911.”

The home’s roof had heavy tiles and Michaels said that may have trapped heat until eventually, flames blew through the roof. Most of the fire had been isolated in the attic before it spread to the rest of the home and then caused the roof to collapse.

The blaze does not appear suspicious as fire investigators continue looking for clues on how the fire ignited. The magnitude of the fire caused firefighters to call in crews from Clovis and Fresno fire stations.

Michaels said there were pets at the home that were unaccounted for even after fire crews had begun to leave. Some other pets were returned to the family.

At first, firefighters struggled to enter the property due to locked iron rod gates. Eventually, crews got inside and remained at the home for about 10 hours. The home is estimated to be 6,000 square feet.

This story was originally published November 25, 2018 at 9:35 AM.