Fire crews managed to knock out a two-alarm house fire that started in the garage in Mira Mesa on Wednesday.
Fire crews arrived at the house at around 1:54 p.m. at 10159 Embassy Way.
"The first crews to arrive at the scene found the building fully engulfed. The fire was coming out at all sides of the building," San Diego Fire-Rescue Department Deputy Fire Chief Kelly Zombro said.
Firefighters tried to enter the house but the fire was too powerful and they had to go into a defensive posture and fight the fire from the outside, Zombro said.
No one was inside the house when fire crews arrived, confirmed Zombro. Resident Matt Jordan said his daughter, who is deaf, and his son were at home when the fire started.
"There is no way I could have contacted her, for one, and so I was like any parent, worried. Is she safe, did she get out?" Jordan told NBC 7.
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A firefighter said Jordan's son was flagging down the fire engines as they first arrived. Jordan and his family were displaced and are being assisted by the American Red Cross.
Firefighters heard a number of explosions but with a garage jam packed with personal belongings and two cars, investigators say those explosions could have been anything.
“At this point in time, the garage is probably in the best shape out of the whole house. The rest of it still has a lot of heat because we can’t get inside. It's just too dangerous,” Zombro said.
One firefighter had to be transported to Sharp Memorial Hospital with heat-related injuries but was later released.
"It's probably heat exhaustion because it's hot and they've been working pretty hard," Zombro said.
One neighbor told NBC 7 that he heard a "boom" and went out to see the house engulfed in flames.
Zombro said there were some pets rumored to be inside, but firefighters couldn't confirm the whereabouts of any animals.
The San Diego Police Department and Poway Fire Department assisted in the fire response.
An investigation is ongoing to determine the cause of the fire. The estimated damage to the structure is at around $350,000 and another $200,000 on damage to contents.
No other information was available.
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