Crime & Safety

Temecula House Fire Under Investigation

A dramatic house fire has shaken a Temecula neighborhood, but despite the roaring flames there were no injuries.

The blaze was reported around 3 p.m. Wednesday in the 43000 block of Corte Fresca.

Delores Newcomb, 73, looked out her window to see if the mail had arrived, but what she saw instead was a two-story home that appeared fully engulfed in flames. 

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“The whole house was on fire,” she explained.

Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department Battalion Chief Jerry Hendershot said his Temecula crews were able to confine the blaze to the home's garage. When firefighters arrived, they reported heavy black smoke, which damaged the home's living quarters and made the residence temporarily uninhabitable, the chief explained.

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The Red Cross has been called in to assist the displaced residents, Hendershot said, noting that two people were home when the fire started but they escaped unharmed.

Newcomb lives five doors down from the home that fell victim to Wednesday’s blaze.

“I feel sorry for the owners,” she said.

Before firefighters quelled the inferno, Newcomb said the flames were so intense she thought additional homes might catch fire.

“I was worried about how far it would spread,” she said.

A dog housed next door to the fire was in danger, but was safely rescued, Newcomb said.

Early radio reports indicated there were explosions heard during the fire. Newcomb confirmed those reports and pointed to aerosol cans strewn around the street. She said the cans were "flying out" of the fire.

Hendershot also confirmed there were many aerosol cans in the garage.

The cause of Wednesday's blaze is under investigation.

Firefighters are expecting to remain on scene until approximately 6 p.m. --Daniel Lane contributed to this report.




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