THOUSAND OAKS : Investigation of House Fire Is Under Way
Flames engulfed a Thousand Oaks house early Thursday, one day after the city had declared the building unfit for habitation, authorities said.
The cause of the fire in the 2900 block of Calle Quebracho was under investigation, firefighters said. Fire Investigations Specialist Bill Hager said the fire, which started in a bedroom, could have been caused by a candle or cigarette or could have been deliberately set.
“Based on what’s left of the area of origin, we’re not able to eliminate any of those possibilities,” he said.
The fire began about 5:40 a.m. and consumed about 80% of the house, authorities said. The rest of the building, Hager said, received smoke damage. No one was injured in the blaze.
Wednesday, the city’s building and safety department posted warnings that the house should not be inhabited until a number of problems had been fixed. Barry Branagan, the city’s building and safety director, said the house had no electricity or gas and the sanitary facilities no longer worked. The owner could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Hager said neighbors had reported transients living in the house.
The house was unoccupied when firefighters arrived on the scene.
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