A house fire that caused over $100,000 in damage on New Year’s Day could have been much worse had it not been for fast-acting neighbors.
Around dinner time Thursday, Johnathan Rice and his father-in-law investigated blaring smoke alarms they heard coming from the next door home in the 1700 block of Woodburn Avenue. The family of four that lives there was not home at the time.
“The fire was on the whole walls on both sides of the wall, and it was also on the porch ceiling,” Rice said.
The flames started on the back patio and crept into the eves above. Without hesitation, Rice called 911, and the two men grabbed a half-inch garden hose and a bucket.
“It was pretty intense at first. It went out, then it started reflashing and I was like, ‘Oh no, am I going to be able to contain it?’” Rice asked himself.
The two went to work, managing to hold the flames at bay.
The fire had gotten into the attic, but when El Cajon firefighters arrived, it took just ten minutes to knock it down.
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The fire chief was grateful for the help, crediting the neighbors with preventing the fire from spreading. Rice breathed a little sigh of relief.
“Both houses next door were saved and no one got hurt. There were no pets inside really, so probably the best case scenario,” Rice said.
While Rice has no firefighting experience, he figures the instincts came from his uncle, who is a Chula Vista fire captain.
