Update: Two-Alarm Fire Engulfs Three Homes Near Clayton Valley High

Sept. 6, 2011

A two-alarm fire quickly blazed through three homes near Clayton Valley High in Concord on Monday afternoon.

A home being built on the top of Skyler Court was destroyed and two homes on Marvue Circle had extensive damage, according to Contra Costa County Fire District Battalion Chief Keith Cormier.

Firefighters responded to the fire at about 4:45 p.m and it was contained by 5:40 p.m. Cormier said nearly 30 firefighters fought the blaze.

Contra Costa Fire officials believe the fire started at the home being constructed on Skyler Court and a western wind fanned the flames to Marvue Circle.

The gas meters at the two homes on Marvue Circle failed from the heat, adding gas to the fire, Costa County Fire District Battalion Chief Ben Smith said.

No injuries were reported and the cause is under investigation.

Neighbors said they heard explosions before seeing the flames. Fire officials said the explosions were likely from propane tanks or aerosol cans combusting. There was no evidence of a gas pipeline explosion, like the one in San Bruno last September, Smith said.

Sunny Sahota, who lives next door to the home under construction destroyed on Skyler Court, said he heard "pops" before noticing the fire.

"I was in the living room and heard two loud pops." Sahota said. "At first I thought it was a truck backfiring, but I went to the window and the home was engulfed in flames in seconds."

Sahota said he told his wife to call 911 and then went outside with a hose to try and keep the flames away from his house. Part of his side-yard fence burned, but the rest of his house was undamaged.

While the structure burned on Skyler Court, Jesus Quinonez was trying save his house on Marvue Court.

"My wife was at the window doing dishes and screamed, 'We got a house fire,'" Quinonez said.

As the fire went up a grassy knoll towards Marvue Circle, Quinonez fought the fire with a hose before firefighters arrived.

"I was there awhile but the heat started to become too much," Quinonez said. "A police officer came and said I had to leave."

Quinonez's house was undamaged from the fire, but the fire gutted his neighbor's home.

The fire brought a crowd of onlookers to the scene, with many taking photos and shooting video with their cameras as firefighters tried to contain the blaze.