Fire damages Hmong International New Year headquarters in central Fresno

A fire at the Hmong International New Year headquarters in central Fresno was quickly extinguished on Saturday morning.

Fresno fire battalion chief Todd Tuggle said firefighters received calls about smoke billowing from the building – a house being used as the annual event’s headquarters – around 10:50 a.m. The fire was put out within minutes of units arriving, and no injuries were reported.

The fire was ruled suspicious until investigators determined that unattended candles caused the blaze, said Pete Martinez, Fresno fire spokesman. The fire caused an estimated $11,000 in damages.

Three engines and two trucks with 20 firefighters responded.

The headquarters at 1558 N. Ninth St., just south of McKinley Avenue and west of Cedar Avenue, is about 3 miles north of the Fresno fairgrounds, where the annual, weeklong Hmong International New Year celebration opened Saturday morning.

Paul Schlesinger: 559-441-6659, @PaulSch_Photog

This story was originally published December 26, 2015 at 2:48 PM with the headline "Fire damages Hmong International New Year headquarters in central Fresno."