Patterson Irrigator

Neither the homeowner nor residents were at home at the time of the blaze, and investigators are considering the area a crime scene, saying it appears someone set the fire recklessly.

Climate conditions made the fire particularly difficult to extinguish, firefighters and investigators said.

“With the high temperatures, high winds and low humidity, the firefighters were pretty much behind the eight ball when they got here,” said investigator Craig Davis of the Modesto Fire Department, which investigates fires in Stanislaus County.

West Stanislaus Fire Protection District initially responded to the blaze as a "barn fire" at 12:59 p.m. on Loquat between Sycamore and Elm avenues. Firefighters remained on the scene until nearly 7 p.m.

Though the home's owner, Tony Felix, lives in Modesto, three farm workers lived in the house and looked after the property. Now, all of them are homeless, Felix said.

The fire, which emitted puffs of thick black smoke to the south, appears to have started in the barn, Davis said. An oxy-acetylene torch and oxygen tank lay nearby, and Davis said the items did not belong to Felix. Oxy-acetylene torches often are used to cut metal.

Photo by Elias Funez / Patterson Irrigator

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Write comment

Name

Email

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (Registered users only)

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Add Comment