A fire erupted in the garage of a home in Mountain View during the early hours of New Year’s Day, causing significant damage to the building, according to a statement from the Mountain View Fire Department.
Dispatchers received a call at 3:36 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 1, reporting a house fire at the 1400 block of Ernestine Lane, located in the St. Francis Acres neighborhood. When firefighters arrived, they saw smoke pouring out of a garage connected to a single-family home, the fire department said.
Fire officials put out the blaze, preventing its spread to the attached home. They then performed an overhaul of the garage, making sure the flames were completely extinguished, according to the statement.
The family, consisting of two adults and three children, had left the home before firefighters arrived. One of the residents was evaluated for possible injuries but declined transportation and treatment at a local hospital, the fire department said.
The family received a $250 gift card from the California Professional Firefighters Union. The Red Cross also was contacted to coordinate temporary housing for the family, as the gas and electric utilities had been disconnected, the fire department said.
The origin of the fire is still under investigation, and the estimated damage to the building and contents is $200,000, according to the statement.
