Grass Valley, CA – At approximately 12:09 AM on November 3rd, Grass Valley Fire Department units were dispatched to a reported residential structure fire near the intersection of South Church Street and Walsh Street.
Upon arrival, crews located a large Victorian-style residence with active fire showing. The home is known locally as a historical landmark as its one of the oldest homes in Grass Valley.
Firefighters immediately confirmed all occupants had safely exited prior to arrival and initiated an aggressive interior fire attack to limit fire spread and protect neighboring properties.
Due to the home’s balloon frame construction – a common structural style in older Victorian era homes – fire traveled quickly and presented unique challenges in suppression efforts. Balloon frame construction often allows fire to rapidly move vertically through concealed wall spaces from basement to attic. Firefighters were required to perform extensive overhaul to access hidden fire pockets and fully contain the incident.
After a thorough investigation, the fire was determined to be human-caused and unintentional, originating from an open flame source.
There were no injuries reported.
The Grass Valley Fire Department would like to thank all assisting agencies for their hard work and support throughout this incident. This incident highlights the importance, value and operational strength of regional interoperability and automatic aid response in Nevada County.