Murrieta Home Catches Fire Twice In One Night, Chief Offers Details

MURRIETA, CA — A Murrieta family lost their dog in a house fire Wednesday night, and — after suffering the loss of a pet and possessions — they had to relive the tragedy just hours later when the home burned for a second time.

"Nobody's happy about it," Murrieta Fire & Rescue Chief Bernard Molloy said of the initial blaze and the subsequent reignition at the two-story home in the 41000 block of Primula Circle.

The cause of the first fire that was reported at 5:24 p.m. remains under investigation, but the second blaze reported at 9:56 p.m. was "likely" sparked by hidden embers inside the home's attic, Molloy explained.

The first fire broke out in a ground-floor office inside the home, but the blaze spread through the residence, burning "very intense and very hot," Molloy said. Plastic items upstairs melted due to the extreme conditions, the chief said.

Sadly, much was lost in the first fire, including the family dog.

After the flames were quelled, fire crews overhauled the structure for more than an hour, tearing out walls down to the studs, the chief explained. Crews also used thermal imaging cameras to check for "heat differential" — hotspots — throughout the home, he said.

After the property was cleared and crews left at approximately 8 p.m., the chief said regular patrols of the burned residence were conducted Wednesday night to ensure nothing was amiss.

The last patrol was at about 9:45 p.m. by a battalion chief, and there was nothing out of the ordinary to report.

Just 10 minutes later, however, calls came in about another fire at the home. Photos from the scene (see above) showed flames and smoke billowing into the sky as crews worked to combat the second inferno.

Fortunately, the fire was halted and crews repeated the process of overhauling and patrolling without any injuries to report.

No neighboring homes were damaged, according to the chief.

In both fires, the family watched — they were home when the first blaze broke out, and they returned to their property when news of the second fire erupted, Molloy said.

The fire department is working to help the victims who are staying with nearby relatives. On Thursday, crews combed through the rubble with the family in search of salvageable possessions.

The work will continue.

"We are working pretty closely with the family," the chief said.