HANFORD, CA — Hanford was hit with multiple structure fires Tuesday, causing thousands of dollars worth of damage to homes and displacing several people.
The first fire happened around 3:40 a.m. Tuesday on 10 1/2 Avenue between Houston Avenue and Hanford-Armona Road, said Kings County Battalion Chief Sal Gutierrez.
By the time crews arrived, Gutierrez said a double-wide trailer home had already been on fire and had essentially burned to the ground.
Gutierrez said four county fire crews and two Hanford city fire crews immediately began attempting to work on a nearby home that had also caught fire.
He said crews were unable to contain the fire on the wooden house and it ultimately burned down as well.
Gutierrez said one man lived in the house and he was able to get out safely and uninjured. He said the trailer has no residents and was unoccupied when it burned.
"The fire completely destroyed that house," Gutierrez said, adding the man who lived in the home is now displaced.
Fire crews stayed at the scene of the fire for almost six hours to make sure the fire was fully contained and did not leave until around 9 a.m., Gutierrez said.
Gutierrez said he estimates the damage to be about $60,000 for the trailer and about a $90,000 in damage for the home.
Gutierrez said the cause of the fire is still under investigation and asked that anyone with information regarding the incident call the department's dispatch center at 584-9276.
Later on in the day, firefighters from both the Hanford and Kings County Fire departments responded to a house fire they said was caused by an overheated electrical circuit and has left seven people displaced.
Firefighters said damage to both the house and the contents was extensive, estimated to be valued at $176,000.
Around 2:40 p.m. Tuesday, the Hanford Fire Department responded to the fire, located at 416 E. Grangeville Blvd.
Fire crews found a separate structure near the house that was engulfed in flames and the fire had extended to the house.
Fire officials said it took crews approximately 90 minutes to get the fire under control due to fire in both the basement and attic of the home.
In total, 10 firefighters from the Hanford Fire Department and six firefighters from the Kings County Fire Department responded to the fire. Officials said there were no injuries in the incident.
Fire officials said the fire investigation is complete and the cause was determined to be an overheated electrical circuit in the separate building, which was furnished and contained several electrical devices being supported by one extension cord.