SAN MARTIN
– What started off as a normal installation of a water softener
turned into an attic fire Monday afternoon causing more than
$250,000 worth of damage.
SAN MARTIN – What started off as a normal installation of a water softener turned into an attic fire Monday afternoon causing more than $250,000 worth of damage.
Elouise Hartman was coming home from a quick trip the store when she noticed gusts of smoke in the sky.
“I could tell it was in my neighborhood, but as I got closer I started to realize this might be my house,” Hartman said.
The smoke was pouring out of her attic at 12600 Sycamore Road in San Martin, where an employee of Culligan Water was installing a new water softener pipe.
According to California Department of Forestry Fire Capt. Paramedic Mike Matheisen, while installing the pipe, the sparks from the welding ignighted the insulation causing the fire.
CDF/South County responded quickly with five fire engines, 22 firefighters and two fire chiefs. They were able to contain the fire quickly and minimize the damage.
The fire was located directly above the master bedroom. Matheisen said firefighters used an approach where they located the fire, drew a line and then pushed the fire back by entering the ceiling from the area not yet burned.
“We approached the fire very aggressively, and we’re lucky to have had this contained when we did,” Matheisen said. “The wind was blowing and some of the skylights were open in the attic. We could have lost much more.”
Hartman sat on the lawn and watched the firefighters save what they could of her home.
“I just can’t believe this,” she said. “I just had a new roof put on two months ago.”
