Two-alarm fire damages historic home

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Two-alarm fire damages historic home

Two-alarm fire damages historic Alameda County home
Bay City News Service

A two-alarm fire at a historic Cherryland District home in unincorporated Alameda County Monday further diminished hopes of ever restoring the old home, which suffered fire damage in a separate blaze on Jan. 1, the Alameda County Fire Department reported.

Monday's fire was the second time this month that the Hayward-area home, which once belonged to the daughter of pioneer Hayward-area farmer William E. Meek, has caught fire, according to Battalion Chief John Walsh.

Firefighters first received reports of the fire, located at 278 Hampton Road, at around 5:33 p.m., according to Walsh. First arriving units discovered heavy smoke coming from the rear of the single-story home, as well as nearly 50-foot flames rising from the roof.

According to Walsh, while firefighters confined flames to the rear of the home and the attic, several holes in the home's floor and sections of unstable roof made it difficult for firefighters.

The causes of both Monday's fire and the Jan. 1 fire remain undetermined, according to Walsh. Monetary assessments of damages for either fire have yet to be determined.

The Fire Department reports that while there was evidence of transients occupying the home, the cause of the fire remains under investigation.

No injuries have been reported and the fire threatened no other buildings. The fire was controlled at around 6 p.m.

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Tuesday, January 23, 2007