​  The San Bernardino County Fire Department urges homeowners and residents to make sure their smoke detectors are working and to have a Home Pre-Fire Plan.

Wednesday November 4, 2014, at approx. 6:35 P.M. San Bernardino County Fire Department received a 9-1-1 call for a reported structure fire in Crestline, CA. Upon arrival, firefighters found a well established fire surrounding thefireplace chimney with obvious extension into the attic area to the rear of the residence. Firefighters immediately assured the residence was evacuated and went into attack mode to control the flames.

The home, a heavy timber log cabin style construction, slowed the spread of the fire, but made access to several small areas of the attic difficult. It took firefighters approximately an hour to access all the affected areas and be assured the fire was under control.

The fire caused heavy damage to the roof and attic area with smoke and heat damage to the third floor. The origin of the fire appears to be the chimney area, although the specific cause remains under investigation. A preliminary estimate is approximately $150,000 in structural damage, with an additional $200,000 in structural elements being saved.

Additionally, at least 50% of the contents were able to be saved through salvage operations – including a vintage Corvette automobile that was able to be removed from the residence undamaged.

San Bernardino County Fire Department provided seven Fire Engines, two Paramedic Ambulances and a Battalion Chief to contain and control the structure fire. Running Springs Fire also provided an Engine to assist. U.S.F.S. and CalFire provided a total of four engines to help assure the fire would not spread into the surrounding vegetation.

During firefighting operations, San Bernardino County Sheriffs provided evacuation operations to the adjacent residences. All residents were allowed to return within the same hour. The excellent cooperative relationship between the San Bernardino County Fire Department, San Bernardino County Sheriff, Running Springs Fire Department, United States Forest Service and CalFire helped contribute to the success of this difficult operation. No injuries were reported.

Visit www.sbcfire.org for more information on Residential Pre-Fire Plans and Fire Safety.