Crime & Safety

Palo Alto Home Destroyed by Fire

A neighboring home was evacuated as a precaution.


A Palo Alto home that was scheduled for a renovation is a total loss after an early morning blaze, a battalion chief said. 

Firefighters responded to a report of a blaze at a home on the corner of Matadero Avenue and Orinda Street at about 3:50 a.m. Monday, Battalion Chief Niles Broussard said. 

When crews arrived, the attic of the single-family home was fully involved, and the integrity of the roof forced firefighters to battle the blaze from the exterior, Broussard said. The roof eventually collapsed. 

Crews were able to knock down the fire around 4:15 a.m., the battalion chief said. 

Broussard said crews were still at the scene "working on hot spots," as of 5:55 a.m. 

Investigators have determined that the home had no power or gas and, while the home is presumed vacant, Broussard said it hasn't been confirmed that no one was in the home. 

The home appeared to be prepped for a renovation, Broussard said. 

A next-door home was evacuated as a precaution, but no other structures were damaged in the blaze. 

No one was injured, Broussard said. 

The cause of the blaze remains under investigation.

Copyright © 2013 by Bay City News, Inc. -- Republication, Rebroadcast or any other Reuse without the express written consent of Bay City News, Inc. is prohibited.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.

More from Los Altos