Abandoned Atherton Home Burns in 'Suspicious' Fire

By Bay City News Service:

An abandoned house in Atherton burned in a suspicious fire possibly started by squatters early Wednesday morning, a fire chief said.

The fire in the single-story home at 29 Shearer Drive was reported just before 5 a.m., Menlo Park Fire Protection District Chief Harold Schapelhouman said.

Firefighters found the home completely on fire. Because of concerns the floor could collapse into the basement, firefighters fought the fire defensively from outside, Schapelhouman said. It took between 45 minutes and an hour to get the fire under control, he said.

The home was abandoned and had no utilities turned on. Suspicious fires, possibly from squatters, have started there in the past. Investigators are treating this fire as suspicious, Schapelhouman said. .

No one was there when firefighters arrived Wednesday morning but they called in a dog to search for human remains, just in case someone was inside when the fire broke out, Schapelhouman said.

No firefighters were injured battling the blaze.

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