No Injuries in One-Alarm Fire

Firefighters extinguished a one-alarm fire this morning at a Menlo Park home near Menlo-Atherton High School, a fire official said.

At about 5:30 a.m., crews responded to a report of fire at 390 Ringwood Ave., where arriving firefighters found flames burning through several spots on the roof, Menlo Park Division Chief Frank Fraone said.

"The attic was on fire, from one end of the home to the other," he said.

By the time the homeowner realized the building was on fire, the blaze had already disabled the phone lines and electricity, Fraone said. The resident, who had been the only person inside, escaped safely and used a passerby's cellphone to report the fire.

Firefighters worked for about 20 minutes to control the fire. No injuries were reported.

"Because of the amount of fire, it was difficult to extinguish," Fraone said.

Although the cause remains under investigation, Fraone said investigators believe the blaze was most likely sparked by an earlier grease fire that had not been completely extinguished.

"It looks like it may have gotten into the vent above the stove," Fraone said.

Fraone reminded homeowners to take the extra precaution of cleaning house before the holidays are in full swing.

"It's that time of year to have your chimneys cleaned and your vent pipes cleaned," he said. "The buildup of creosote in the fireplace, the buildup of grease in the stove vent and the buildup of lint in the dryer vent all need to be cleaned out."

--Bay City News