Fire Damages Concord Duplex, Apartment Building

CONCORD, CA — Residents escaped a Concord structure fire without injury Tuesday afternoon, a captain with the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District said. The New Year's Day fire was first reported at 3:45 p.m. in the 1400 block of Monument Boulevard, near Cambridge Park and Monument Plaza.

Con Fire Capt. Steve Aubert said it appeared the blaze started outside a single-story duplex and spread inside, to an outbuilding and a two-story apartment building behind the duplex.

A neighbor described the fire as explosive.

"We heard an explosion then hissing then fire and flames," Ivan Isguerra told KRON4. "We grabbed [our] pets and got out. We expected the worst, but hoped for the best."

A family of six who escaped the blaze reportedly could not find their pet cat.

Bay City News Service contributed to this report.

Photo courtesy Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.