Three hurt as blaze tears through southwest Fresno home

Two firefighters and one occupant were injured in a house fire that broke out Monday night in southwest Fresno.

Firefighters received a call about a house fire on the 800 block of West Hawes Avenue, just south of Chandler Downtown Airport, around 9:40 p.m., said Thomas Cope, Fresno fire battalion chief. Heavy smoke and fire came from a corner of the house.

Two firefighters suffered minor burns to their ears as they were met with flames and intense heat in the house. It took a while for them to notice the burns while fighting the blaze, Cope said.

“In the heat of firefighting, it’s sometimes difficult to recognize that burns are taking place,” he said.

Chainsaws had to be used to cut security bars around the house so firefighters could attack the flames from multiple angles, Cope said.

Firefighters also noticed dangerous, non-compliant wiring at the home arcing on the cold water supply.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, but an occupant told firefighters it began where they had an altar set up with votive candles, Cope said. It appeared curtains in the room caught fire from the candles.

One of the home’s occupants was treated for smoke inhalation but refused transportation to a hospital, Cope said.

It was unknown how many people were displaced by the fire, Cope said. The home was left uninhabitable.

This story was originally published February 16, 2016 at 7:23 AM with the headline "Three hurt as blaze tears through southwest Fresno home."