Fallbrook home damaged by morning fire

A residential fire broke out in Fallbrook on Thursday morning March 28, causing one-half million dollars in damage to a home in the 3000 block of Green Heather Lane, according to Captain Paramedic and Public Information Officer John Choi for North County Fire Protection District.

The names of the homeowners who suffered the loss have not been identified to the public, Choi said.

North County firefighters were dispatched to the scene around 11:45 a.m. Additional support arrived from Vista Fire Department and the San Diego County Sheriff's Bomb and Arson Unit.

The homeowners were at home at the time of the fire but were able to evacuate, said Choi.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but fire officials do not suspect foul play or arson.

San Diego County Sheriff's Bomb and Arson Unit is continuing its investigation into the nature of the fire because of the high dollar value loss at the home, Choi said.

It took firefighters about an hour to put out the fire.

"We had some challenges that caused some delays in our efforts," Choi said. But overall, he said, "Firefighters did an extraordinary job."

The fire had already burned a hole through the second floor by the time crews arrived, he said. The home also had an open floor plan, which Choi said, allowed the fire to spread horizontally, making it difficult for firefighters to move through one side of the house to the other.

On top of that, the home's modern furniture is considered to be a petroleum-based product, which burns at a higher heat. That is why today's structure fires burn much hotter and grow very quickly, Choi said.

He praised crews for their quick problem solving abilities in trying to find ways into the home.

Crews applied ladders around the exterior of the home, and made contact with the fire from the roofline, said Choi.

The following emergency vehicles responded to the scene: four engines from North County Fire Protection District, two engines from Vista Fire Department, one Vista Air/ Light apparatus, one NCFPD ambulance and three NCFPD chief officers.

Vista's new Air/Light apparatus is automatically assigned on a second alarm structure fire or by request. Mounted on a Freightliner M2 106 chassis, it provides fire crews with light, rehabilitation equipment, capability to refill air bottles on scene, mist units, tables and chairs, snacks, water and Gatorade.

"It was a great mutual effort with our neighboring agencies," said Choi. "We had a lot of units that came in."

Firefighters succeeded in containing the fire to the building of origin, he said.

The house does not appear to be considered a total loss, as the first floor remained intact.

Choi said there was a motorhome on the left side of the house that was initially threatened by the fire, but crews were able to keep the fire contained, so it did not burn.