A firefighter was injured and a home destroyed in an early morning fire.
When Heartland firefighters arrived to the home on Jefferson Street in El Cajon around 2:45 a.m. Monday, the flames were so intense the windows blew out.
One firefighter suffered an injured hand in the explosion.
Fifteen firefighters spent hours battling the blaze.
The home was built in the early 1900s and has a lot of heavy wood in its construction. This made firefighting efforts more difficult.
Damage to the structure and contents has been estimated at $180,000.The couple renting the home did not have renter's insurance and lost all their possessions within the structure.
Brent Quick, who lives in the house, was just ending his shift at work when he got the call from a neighbor.
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At first he thought it was a joke.
“I'm still in shock it hasn't hit me completely,” said Quick.
Three people and two dogs live in the home. No one was injured in the fire. Quick’s 10-year-old son was at a sleepover at the time.
Now, however, the house is inhabitable. The San Diego chapter of the American Red Cross will help Quick and his son find a place to stay.
The family of three and their two dogs are now displaced, according to El Cajon public information officer Monica Zech. The Red Cross is now providing initial assistance to the displaced family.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, but the cause appears to be accidental.
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