Doral Court couple escapes without injury, loses
‘everything’
GILROY – With rain falling steadily, firefighters from three departments across Gilroy and San Martin spent nearly 10 hours Monday night and early Tuesday morning extinguishing a house fire that destroyed all but three rooms and caused $500,000 damage.
“I got out with only the shirt on my back,” said homeowner Ken Binder. “We lost everything.”
Binder lived in the home with his wife.
Fire investigators, who were still on scene at press time this morning, are not sure what caused the 1660 Doral Court blaze, but officials know it began in the single-family home’s two-car garage. Arson is not suspected.
The fire destroyed the garage, two vehicles parked inside and all the other rooms of the house except three bedrooms. One of the vehicles in the garage Binder purchased just two months ago.
The Binders were home when the fire began but escaped with no injuries, said Capt. Rick Gibble of the California Department of Forestry unit stationed at Hecker Pass.
The Binders now are staying in the homes of their grown children, Gibble said.
The blaze began at 8:20 Monday evening, triggering hours of firefighting and mop-up work. Flames and damage were so severe weary firefighters did not return to their stations until 6 a.m., Gibble said.
