Fresno home gutted in three-alarm fire, one person suffers second-degree burns to face

Fresno Fire and Fresno County Fire units put down a three-alarm house fire on Hoxie Avenue in Southeast Fresno Sunday afternoon, limiting damage on a day gusty winds threatened surrounding homes and structures.

“This definitely was a wind-driven fire that assisted in getting to those other structures, so I feel very fortunate our crews were able to get here as quickly as they were and be able to contain the fire to what was on fire when we got here,” said Devin McGuire, a Fresno Fire battalion chief.

“The quantity of fire that we had to the initial structure and the exposures we had, definitely it could have been much worse.”

The cause of the fire, which started around 4 p.m., is under investigation.

“It sounds like it possibly started in the backyard,” McGuire said. “We understand the individual was doing some cooking back there. But the actual cause is under investigation.”

There also were some propane tanks in the backyard, which could have been involved in the fire, McGuire said.

There was one injury to a resident of the home, who suffered second-degree burns to his face and arms. The home was a total loss.

Fresno Fire and Fresno County Fire had 11 units working the fire and 41 personnel. There were no firefighter injuries.

“The initial report was that two structures were going,” McGuire said. “The first company to arrive was Fresno County Fire, who was assisting us. When they arrived, they had the two-story that was well involved and was catching the single story to the east on fire. Crews were able to get in, make a good initial attack, and basically contain the fire to what it was when we actually got here.”