Redlands Fire Department - Century-old home heavily damaged by fire - 11-7-12

A more than century-old home was heavily damaged by fire Wednesday morning. No injuries were reported in the blaze. Redlands Firefighters received the call of a home on fire in the 300 block of Sonora Street shortly after 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 7. When firefighters arrived they found the two-story home well involved. No one was home at the residence but firefighters say fire had probably been burning in the interior walls for some time before the fire was detected. Smoke from the fire could be seen throughout Redlands downtown and nearby residential areas. Two overlapping shifts from the Redlands Fire Department responded along with personnel from Loma Linda, San Bernardino County and a Deputy Fire Chief from the Rancho Cucamonga Fire District who saw the flames as he was heading to work. A total of 31 personnel responded. At about 8 a.m. the structure’s roof collapsed and firefighters pulled back from the building before beginning a new attack on the blaze. The fire was knocked down at about 9 a.m. but firefighters remained on scene performing mop up until about 3:30 p.m. The cause of the fire was likely electrical given the old-style wiring and a history of electrical problems in the house. Damage was estimated at approximately $300,000 for the structure and another $50,000 in contents. Because of the historical nature of the home, rebuilding and restoration could run significantly higher. The approximately 1,800-square-foot home was built in 1904. The home had been divided into separate upstairs and downstairs rental units. A majority of the fire damage was to the upstairs portion of the house. The downstairs portion also suffered significant water damage. A dog and a cat belonging to the residents were rescued from the fire.

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