LAMORINDA, CA — Firefighters battled a three-alarm blaze at a multimillion-dollar Lafayette estate this weekend involving an unusual layout, an electrical hazard, and an incorrect address before bringing the fire under control.
The fire was reported shortly before 5 p.m. Saturday at a residence in the 900 block of Reliez Station Lane, near Pleasant Hill Road and Olympic Boulevard, according to the Lafayette Police Department.
According to fire officials, the initial 911 call from a neighbor identified the wrong street, sending crews to a nearby site, according to Claycord.
Once firefighters reached the property, they encountered another obstacle: the closest working fire hydrant was roughly 1,000 feet from the home, according to reports.
Firefighters also faced a house with an irregular, sprawling floor plan that complicated suppression efforts. Officials said the home's unconventional layout allowed the fire to spread unpredictably through different sections of the structure, making containment more difficult, according to reports.
Several hours into the operation, a firefighter received an electrical shock.
PG&E crews returned to the property to shut down a second, overlooked, electrical panel. The firefighter did not require hospitalization.
Firefighters confined the blaze to the property, preventing it from spreading to neighboring homes. Authorities reported no other injuries.
The property was identified as the former Kaiser estate, a prominent Lafayette residence that changed hands in late March for approximately $5.6 million.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Anyone with information should contact the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Lamorinda Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.