Crime & Safety
Preliminary Cause Announced for Hillsborough Fire
Once the fire reached the first home, shake shingles provided a fuel source for it to rapidly spread.
Underbrush or other decomposing materials may have been the cause of a three-alarm fire that damaged parts of seven homes in Hillsborough on Friday, a fire official said. Previously, it was reported that just five homes were damaged.
Central County firefighters received a report of a structure fire in the 1800 block of Black Mountain Road at about 4:53 p.m., according to sheriff's deputies. Two homes were fully involved in the fire and the wind pushed the fire to five nearby homes, including ones on Darrell Road, according to Central County Fire public information officer Rocque Yballa.
The woodshake roof on the first home fueled the fire, Yballa said. The two homes sustained significant damage, including damage to its shed areas.
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The home closest to the origin sustained extensive damage, according to Yballa. Another home on an adjacent side saw a fiberglass boat destroyed, Yballa said.
The fire started on the fence line of two properties and a potential cause of the fire is underbrush or other decomposing materials that were piled near the fence, Yballa said.
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The cause of the fire remains under investigation by police and fire officials.
All residents of the homes were accounted for and no injuries were sustained as a result of the fire, deputies said.
The fire was brought under control and extinguished within two hours of the initial report, sheriff's deputies said.
Cal Fire, San Bruno Fire, Millbrae Fire, Central County Fire, and San Mateo City Fire all helped work the scene, Yballa said.
Yballa wants to remind people to make sure to always place piles away from fences, make sure shake roofs are treated, and to clean out leaves from gutters.
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