TVs Catch Fire, Ignite 2 Separate Homes in East Bay

SAN LEANDRO, CA – PHOTOS: Image 1: Friday morning house fire on the 18000 block of Stanton Ave in Castro Valley; Image 2: Friday afternoon on the 1700 block of Russ Avenue in San Leandro.

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Alameda County firefighters extinguished two house fires caused by malfunctioning televisions and electrical systems -- one in San Leandro Friday afternoon and another in Castro Valley Friday morning, fire officials said.

The San Leandro fire was reported at around noon in the 1700 block of Russ Avenue, in the Upper Bal neighborhood.

The single-story, single-family home was letting off light smoke that got heavier after firefighters arrived. Crews contained the small fire to the rear bedroom within 10 minutes, fire officials said.

The house's occupant said he was doing laundry when the smoke alarm went off. He found the television in the rear bedroom to be on fire and unsuccessfully tried to extinguish it.

Fire officials said an electrical malfunction in the rear bedroom caused the fire. The resident was assessed for non-life-threatening injuries, but declined hospital treatment.

Another fire involving an electrical issue causing a television to ignite took place in Castro Valley early Friday morning. That family was displaced temporarily, but no injuries were reported.

In that blaze, firefighters responded to an address in the 18000 block of Stanton Avenue in unincorporated Alameda County at 4:37 a.m. The one-alarm fire was knocked down quickly and contained to the home's living room, firefighters said.

Investigators determined that the fire started after electrical problems caused a flatscreen TV to ignite.

Smoke alarms did not go off, but the flaming TV was near a window that broke as a result of the heat - waking up one of the residents. Two adults and two small children escaped before fire crews arrived. They were displaced by the fire but are staying with family, firefighters said.

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--Bay City News contributed to this report/Image via ACFD