2 homes burn on Willow Avenue in Manteca, firefighter injured
MANTECA — Two homes were destroyed and a firefighter was injured in a fire in Manteca, officials said Monday.
Manteca police said first responders arrived shortly before 3:30 p.m. at Willow Avenue, just west of downtown, after two homes and a structure behind one of the homes became fully engulfed in fire. One of the homes was vacant.
Steven Beerman, a spokesperson for Manteca police, said there was a fourth structure that had already burned to the ground that firefighters later discovered.
While trying to extinguish the residential fires, crews worked to keep the fire from spreading to a nearby commercial building that has an auto body and paint business. All employees inside the building got out safely.
During that firefight, one firefighter was hospitalized due to heat exhaustion, police said. No other injuries were reported.
Firefighters were able to keep the fire from spreading to any other structures
Shortly before 6:30 p.m., Manteca police said firefighters were still working on putting the flames out completely and would likely be there for several more hours.
Behind one of the homes was an electrical transformer that burned as a result of the fire. Manteca police said firefighters were still working to determine what caused the fire.
Yessika Valdez, who lives just next door to the burned-down homes, says she just moved in and saw the flames as she was leaving.
"I was already outside, so I smelled wood burning, and it was a bit smoky back there," she said. "I could see inside the shed, and there was a lot of fire inside."