Fire Destroys House South of Piru; Pet Killed

Five people were driven from their home Saturday night by a fire that destroyed the structure and killed the family’s pet bird.

Ventura County Fire Department officials estimated the losses at 3536 Guiberson Road, south of the city, at $150,000 for the structure and $50,000 for the contents.

Michael and Mary Ann Humferville were home with their sons, Kevin and Michael, and a family friend, when they smelled smoke about 5:40 p.m., said Fire Department spokeswoman Sandi Wells.

By the time firefighters arrived, the house was engulfed in flames, authorities said.

Ammunition inside the house began exploding, and firefighters were pulled out of the house and off the roof, Wells said.

“It was exploding all over,” Wells said. “It’s like somebody shooting a gun at you.”

Propane tanks in the garage also exploded, making it more difficult to control the blaze, Wells said.

At one point, Michael Humferville went back inside to rescue the family’s parakeet, Wells said.

“That’s when he realized there was just too much fire,” Wells said.

The fire was extinguished at 8 p.m.

Investigators were expected to be on the scene throughout the night trying to determine the cause of the blaze, which probably started in a bedroom area, Wells said.

The Humfervilles’ 19-year-old daughter, April, was not home at the time of the blaze.