Crime & Safety

Fire Breaks Out in Monrovia Home

An electrical fire at a house on Montana Street forced firefighters to chop a large hole in the wall.

Firefighters had to cut a hole into the wall of a home that burst into flames Thursday afternoon, a fire official said.

The fire, presumed to be electrical in nature, started in the wall of a house in the 200 block of Montana Street, Fire Chief Christopher Donovan said. Firefighters had to chop a hole into the wall and roof to ventilate the home.

"They were able to extinguish the fire and control it," Donovan said.

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The house sustained structural damage and interior smoke damage but it is not a total loss, Donovan said. There were no injuries reported.

The blaze marked the third fire the Monrovia Fire Department responded to Thursday following two vegetation fires caused by downed power lines after a brief windstorm in the late morning.

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"It's been a crazy day today," Donovan said. "I mean, crazy."

The electrical fire at the home did not appear to be related to the heavy winds, Donovan said.

Coincidentally, recently promoted division chief Ryan Phillips was working his first shift in his new position Thursday. He had a busy day.

"Today was his first day and he's had three working fires," Donovan said. "He's getting off to a heck of a start."


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