A three-alarm fire burned through the attics of a group of
townhomes in northeast Morgan Hill, shocking residents who gathered
to watch.
video of the fire.
A three-alarm fire burned through the attics of a group of townhomes in northeast Morgan Hill, shocking residents who gathered to watch.
No one was injured in the blaze, which began about 2:30 p.m. Thursday. It was completely contained within two hours, according to Santa Clara County Fire District Battalion Chief Ken Kehmna, but the cause has yet to be determined, and he said it was too early to determine damage estimates.
Neighbors gathered to watch on Brega Lane, which was closed to traffic and lined with emergency vehicles.
Lorraine Welk, whose townhome seemed to be the most damaged, said she was at work when neighbor Dan Ehrler called to tell her home was on fire.
“Dan’s wife was at home, and she looked out and saw the flames,” she recalled, watching as the wood shake roof of her home was rapidly consumed. “I can’t think how it might have started, I didn’t leave anything turned on.”
She said there were no pets in the home and no one at home in the other residences as far as she knew.
“I’m just very happy no one was inside when it started,” she said, “but what a shock to come home to.”
Twelve engines from Santa Clara County Fire, Gilroy Fire, San Jose Fire, Santa Clara Fire, Calfire, South Santa Clara County Fire, responded to the fire, as well as tanker trucks and support vehicles. More than 40 firefighters were on scene. Morgan Hill police officers closed the road.
Fire officials said the townhomes, which are on the corner of Sorrel Way and Brega Lane near Sorrel Court, share attics, and the fire quickly spread from one home to another.
Morgan Hill police Chief Bruce Cumming was on scene and said that, in such a dense residential area full of bushes and trees, it was fortunate that no one was injured and that the fire did not spread to nearby apartments and residences.
Winds sent burning embers on to the roofs of the garages below, and firefighters began spraying down the roofs with retardant. Small areas of vegetation were ignited by the flying ash but were quickly extinguished.
