OCEANSIDE — A family of four and their dog were displaced after a house fire broke out around noon Wednesday in the Loma Alta neighborhood near Buddy Todd Park.
The Oceanside Fire Department responded to a residential structure fire at 3537 Sea Ridge Road around 11:46 a.m. on Aug. 27 after dispatch received reports that a dog was stuck inside a burning home.
The first unit to arrive within four minutes was an ambulance with a lone firefighter, who reported heavy smoke and fire coming from the garage. The firefighter quickly entered the home to look for the animal and other potential occupants.
Five additional fire engines and a ladder truck, along with 22 fire personnel and two battalion chiefs, arrived on the scene within minutes, according to the fire department. Fire crews quickly deployed hose lines to attack the blaze while simultaneously conducting an interior search.
Using the ladder truck, crews cut a hole in the roof to allow superheated gases to escape the home, which “greatly improved interior conditions and enabled crews to complete a thorough search,” according to a statement from Oceanside Fire.
Firefighters found no other occupants aside from the dog, which suffered mild smoke inhalation but is expected to make a full recovery.
The Red Cross is assisting family members displaced from their home.
Oceanside Police Department and San Diego Gas & Electric are assisting in the investigation, which has determined that the fire likely started in the garage.
If a fire breaks out in the home, the Oceanside Fire Department has advised residents to evacuate immediately, call 911 as soon as everyone is safe, and wait for the fire department from a secure location. Fire officials urged residents not to attempt to extinguish the fire themselves.
“Fires spread rapidly, and your safety is our highest priority,” fire officials said.
In neighboring Carlsbad, a 100-square-foot brush fire broke out Wednesday afternoon near Haymar Drive and El Camino Real. No structures were threatened.
City News Service contributed to this report.
