SANTA PAULA : Blaze Damages Fire Official’s House
An early morning house fire, apparently sparked by an electrical problem in a detached garage, did more than $190,000 damage Wednesday at the residence of a Santa Paula fire official, authorities said.
Fire Capt. Dave Lagesse led his wife and two children from their house at 806 Ojai Road after awakening at 2:30 a.m. and finding his garage ablaze, said Santa Paula Fire Marshal Robert Hall.
The blaze spread from the garage to the house along a wood-covered walkway connecting the buildings, Hall said. Lagesse tried to stop the blaze with a garden hose until nine engine companies from the Santa Paula and Ventura County fire departments arrived.
The fire burned through all but two front bedrooms, doing an estimated $115,000 damage to the two-story home, which Hall said was valued at $250,000. The fire also destroyed $75,000 worth of contents and destroyed a $5,000 truck that Lagesse used for his plumbing contracting business.
Firefighter Ed Ornelas suffered minor smoke inhalation, for which he was treated and released from Santa Paula Memorial Hospital, Hall said.
Rescued from the fire were the family’s Dalmatian dog and a litter of eight puppies.
The dogs initially took refuge beneath storage goods in the garage and under the house foundation.
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