Local News in Brief : Fire Damages Home in Simi, Kills Family Dog
A fast-moving house fire started by a faulty television set and fueled by a dry Christmas tree heavily damaged a Simi Valley home, injured a firefighter and killed a family pet Friday in Simi Valley, Ventura County Fire Department officials said.
The fire started about 1 p.m. while 3-year-old John Jacobs was watching cartoons as his parents slept in their three-bedroom house in the 3900 block of Avenida Simi, said Ventura County Fire Capt. Larry Henry. The youngster awakened his parents, Richard Jacobs, 36, and Cheryl Roach, 25, who called firefighters.
The fire was extinguished in about 15 minutes. It did an estimated $45,000 damage to the house, and the family’s Australian shepherd puppy died of smoke inhalation, Henry said.
Firefighter Art Saenz was treated for smoke inhalation at Simi Valley Community Hospital and released, Henry said. Henry said it is not uncommon for malfunctioning television sets to start fires.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
