DETACHED GARAGE FIRE THREATENING RESIDENCE
On June 11, 2017 at 9:21 pm, the Turlock Fire Department was dispatched to the report of a Working Residential Structure Fire in the 200 block of Davis Street.Upon arrival, Turlock Firefighters found a well-involved detached garage fire that was threatening the main residence. Turlock Firefighters rapidly deployed multiple hose lines to hold the fire to the garage and prevent any extension into the residence. Crews had to force entry through a fortified gate to gain access to the rear of the garage. Firefighters also removed the large garage door with a circular saw to provide needed access to the main body of fire.Fire Chief Robert Talloni stated, “A good size-up of the fire, the use of power tools, and well-placed hose lines extinguished the fire and prevented direct flame contact to the main house.”A total of three engines, one squad, a battalion chief, and the Fire Chief responded to the incident for a total of 14 Turlock Fire personnel. Ceres Fire Department responded with one engine and a battalion chief for an additional four personnel as part of our Resource Sharing Agreement. Turlock Rural Fire Protection District also responded with an engine for an additional three personnel. A total of 21 personnel were on-scene between all responding agencies. Once released, Ceres Fire and Turlock Rural both provided engines for City coverage.The cause of the fire was determined to be a clothes dryer fire. Turlock Fire Department reminds our residents that overheated clothes dryers can cause fires and taking care of it is important for home fire safety. Dryer screens should be cleaned after each load and ducts and vents should be kept lint-free. The leading cause of home clothes dryer fires is failure to clean them. An estimated 2,900 dryer fires happen every year, causing five deaths, 100 injuries, and $35 million in property loss.
Visit the U.S. Fire Administration’s website at https://www.usfa.fema.gov for a few simple safety tips to help you prevent a clothes dryer fire.Any inquiries or information regarding this investigation can be addressed by contacting the Fire Marshal at 209 669-2119. All other inquiries regarding this incident can be addressed by contacting Turlock Fire Department’s Public Information Officer Kevin Tidwell, at 209 216-6455
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