Video of flames bursting from the windows of a Merced home on 11th Street is what neighbors woke up to at 2:45 am Thursday.
The owner, Jesus Valencia, was working when he got a call about his house on fire, and didn't know what to expect as he raced back.
"I work sometimes 24 hours to keep my house, so I pray for that when I come, and then I see it looks like only one room, not the whole house, so I calmed down," said Jesus Valencia.
When he made it home around 6 am and saw the aftermath, he was in disbelief, feeling as if part of his life's hard work had vanished overnight.
"I feel like my life is over because I'm old, you know. I look at this, and my whole life, I saved money to get my house," said Valencia.
Battalion Chief Sean Luce says the cause of the fire is not yet known. Seven units responded, and in about 10 minutes, the fire was out.
"It was a quick knockdown. We made entry relatively quickly, did a primary search and made sure there was nobody here," Luce said.
Luce says the flames were contained to one bedroom.
"There is another bedroom in here that you would not know there was fire because the door was closed, and it contained the fire," he said.
He says shutting doors can prevent fires from spreading, but being proactive in your home is the most important piece of advice.
"Check your smoke detectors, those preventative measures," Luce said. "Have a plan with your family."
It's advice Valencia is taking to heart. For now, he will search through the debris and, with hope in his eyes, says he will start over, taking things one day at a time.
So far this year, the Merced Fire Department has responded to 785 calls. Of those, three have been structure fires.
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