Blaze causes major damage to Poway home
By: North County Times wire services | ∞
POWAY ---- A fire of unknown origin tore through a home Friday, seriously injuring one resident, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars damage and killing several cats, authorities said.
Two of the three residents, a man and his girlfriend's 15-year-old daughter, were in front of the house in the 13000 block of Celestial Road in Poway, playing with a remote-control model car, when the blaze erupted shortly before 11 a.m., according to fire department officials.
The man grabbed a garden hose, ran inside and tried to extinguish the flames, Division Chief Jon Canavan said. He suffered serious respiratory trauma from smoke inhalation, Canavan said.
It took 16 firefighters about 30 minutes to control the blaze, which spread throughout the house's living quarters and attic.
"We believe the home is a total loss," the division chief said.
The value of the residence and its contents is estimated at $500,000, Canavan said.
Crews found the remains of three of the residents' five pet cats inside the gutted house. The other two felines remained unaccounted for and may have escaped the flames, Canavan said.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation in the late afternoon, though arson had been ruled out by then.
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