On the evening of October 22nd, a fire broke out at a construction site in San Marino, a city known for its Chinese community in Los Angeles County. The single-story residential home was completely engulfed in flames, posing a threat to neighboring properties. Fortunately, firefighters responded swiftly and extinguished the blaze without any injuries reported.
According to the San Marino Fire Department, they received the alarm at 8:09 PM. Fire Engine 91 and an ambulance arrived at the scene to find the single-family residence at 1857 Windsor Road fully consumed by the fire. The flames had begun to spread to adjacent homes.
With assistance from the fire departments of San Gabriel, Pasadena, and Alhambra, the San Marino Fire Department managed to contain the fire to the original structure. However, the southern eaves and windows of the impacted building sustained moderate damage. During the incident, the San Marino Police Department blocked off traffic and swiftly evacuated residents from nearby homes.
Fire Chief Mario Rueda stated that the first fire truck reached the scene just 3 minutes and 23 seconds after the report was received, effectively preventing the fire from spreading further. Ultimately, the fire was extinguished after approximately 40 minutes of effort, and no one was injured.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Chief Rueda noted that the affected home was under construction and unoccupied at the time. Additionally, there was a second accessory dwelling unit (ADU) under construction at the site.
The city’s fire department highlighted important regulations within the California Fire Code (CFC) that pertain to safety measures during construction. These rules indicate that the fire chief or designated personnel can require homeowners to implement fire monitoring at their own expense, depending on the hazards present during construction or demolition activities.
