Flames tore through a single-family home in Simi Valley on Thursday, requiring a heavy response from firefighters to deal with what was visible from a half-mile away. According to the Ventura County Fire Department, the blaze was reported at 11:04 AM and had sent smoke billowing through the suburban street.
Firefighters were dispatched to the 3600 block of Valencia Avenue near Alamo where they encountered heavy fire in the garage of a residence and smoke throughout the property. Teams performed vertical ventilation and applied water to quell the flames. VCFD's X post revealed that the primary search of the home confirmed that all occupants were clear, with the homeowner existing outside upon their arrival but now is being evaluated for possible smoke inhalation.
#ValenciaFire; FFs are on scene of a single story single family residence that had heavy smoke showing from 1/2 mile out. Incident has been upgraded to a working incident, that increases the FFs responding. @VCFD @City_SimiValley @SimiValleyPD pic.twitter.com/al6iYizqus
— VCFD PIO (@VCFD_PIO) January 25, 2024
Despite the severity of the fire, crews were able to knock down the majority of it by 11:35 AM. However, their work wasn't done as they continued to search for hidden pockets of fire to ensure a full knockdown. The term 'knock-down' is used by firefighting professionals to indicate that the progression of the fire has been stopped, separating it from 'fire out,' which is declared when there is no further heat or threat posed by the fire.
One individual has been transported to the Simi Valley hospital for further evaluation, and while the fire has been knocked down, the investigation into its cause remains ongoing. Additional updates and information can be found via VCFD Public Information Office's X posts, which advise the public that crews would be on the scene for approximately three hours after the blaze ensuring the fire is fully extinguished and investigating the incident.
