Fire Destroys Monte Sereno House

A two-alarm fire that consumed a house in Monte Sereno was extinguished this morning, according to the Santa Clara County Fire Department.

The fire, in the 18000 block of Constitution Avenue was reported at 2:50 a.m., Battalion Chief Kendall Pearson said.

When firefighters arrived over half of the house was already burning, and a second alarm was called within six minutes.

Firefighters approached the fire defensively, as it was quickly spreading and consumed the entire building by the time the second alarm response arrived, Pearson said.

The home's two residents had escaped before firefighters arrived and were not injured.

Firefighters knocked down the fire in about 35 minutes. No firefighters were injured in the response.

Because the conditions in the area have been hot and dry, firefighters were concerned that embers may spread and start fires downwind.

Two crews of firefighters patrolled downwind to ensure that no other fires were started by flying embers.

Firefighters remained on the scene early this morning, and the cause of the fire remains under investigation, Pearson said.

—Bay City News Service