Fire chars home on Sulphur Mountain
By Lenny Roberts

A fire that investigators say began in a forced air heater closet caused a reported $125,000 in damage to a 4,000-square-foot ranch-style home in the 10000 block of Sulphur Mountain Road Monday night.
Ventura County Fire dispatchers received a call from neighbors at 6:12 p.m., who reported seeing and smelling smoke. The first of seven fire engines arrived at 6:38 p.m., and firefighters, from Station 20 in Upper Ojai, reported a working structure fire in the $800,000, single-story dwelling.
A total of 27 firefighters, two battalion chiefs, a safety officer, an ambulance and an investigator ultimately responded to the scene.
No one was reported injured in the incident.
Fire officials credited a working smoke detector with alerting the residents, and an interior fire sprinkler system with containing the fire and preventing further damage until all units arrived.
As the firefighters concluded their mop-up procedures at 10:50 p.m., the home's owner, Dana Wynter, was still searching for two dogs and three cats that had fled during the fire. At the scene, Wynter thanked all the firefighters for saving her home.

© 2003 The Ojai Valley News

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