Published on October 29, 2018
San Mateo County Public Safety Communications (PSC) received a report of smoke pouring out of a single story home on Chilco Street in Menlo Park, two doors away from Fire Station 77 at 12.22 pm Saturday, October 27, 2018.
Firefighters at Station 77 located in the Belle Haven Area of Menlo Park were first alerted to the fire by someone frantically ringing their door bell and banging on Stations front door. After answering the door, Captain Jeff Schreiber said his crew quickly geared up as the Station alert dispatch tones reported smoke coming a residential structure two doors away.
Captain Schreiber and his crew of three Firefighters on Quint 77 arrived on-scene at 12.24 pm. He reported smoke and fire coming from a single story residential structure. They crew forced entry into the home through the front door and immediately located the fire. Using an 1-3/4 inch attack hose line from the apparatus, they quickly extinguish the fire.
A quick search of the home was problematic because of the heavy smoke and amount of storage inside the structure. Some windows were covered with plywood and/or plastic which had to be removed to cross ventilate the structure for better visibility.
The fire was knocked down at at 12.36 pm and the building search was completed at 12.40 pm. The two occupants of the house were not at home at the time of the fire and no Firefighters were injured during these operations. Two Fire Investigators arrived on scene and preliminarily determined the origin of the fire at a combined Microwave, Refrigerator and Coffee Maker area near the front door. The cause appears to be an electrical malfunction, or overload.
Utilities, including power, were disconnected to the home and the American Red Cross was requested to work with the tenants on temporary housing. Acting Battalion Chief John Wurdinger referred the excessive interior storage and the overly deteriorated condition of the structure, which would have hampered egress, along with early notification due to a lack of smoke detectors to the City of Menlo Park’s Code Enforcement Division, who will red tag the house.
Fire Chief Schapelhouman said “the quick action of observant people attending an open home for sale event next door, the proximity of this neighborhood Fire Station literally almost next door along with the aggressive and rapid actions of the Firefighters saved the day today. Had this occurred at any other time, I’m sure the consequences would have been much worse”.
Pictured Below:
Fire Investigators David Perrone (left) and Kim Giuliacci (right) Search for the cause of a House Fire Saturday afternoon on Chilco Street in Menlo Park - Please Credit Fire Photographer Peter Mootz
