Homes in Avenal seem to be catching fire at an alarming rate this week as two houses on opposite ends of Merced Street caught fire between Sunday and Monday within a few hours of each other. The first, and more intensive, blaze began just after 10 p.m. on Sunday night, when an unknown source sparked a home attic fire in the 400 block of East Merced Street.

Kings County firefighters responded to the scene and spent nearly six hours trying to put out the blaze, a task made more difficult by the tongue and groove wood ceiling in the building that firemen literally had to chainsaw their way through to get at the flames.

Four hours later, a kitchen fire began in the 400 block of West Merced Street, quickly spreading from the kitchen to the laundry room to the bathroom before county firefighters arrived on the scene.

Battalion Chief Clay Smith said that they were able to get the fire under control within 15-to-20 minutes of their arrival.

Nobody was injured in either blaze and there is no information at this time to suggest that the fires might be related.

While an investigation into both fires is currently ongoing, the 8:30 a.m. kitchen fire on Monday may be ruled an accidental burn, due to the origin point of the flames.

The reporter can be reached at 583-2425.

(Aug. 5, 2008)