A fire that erupted in a Riverside home under renovation among orange groves on the south side of the city was significantly damaged, but no one was injured, authorities said Thursday.
The blaze was reported about 9 p.m. Wednesday in the 2500 block of Jefferson Street, near Cleveland Avenue, where a number of citrus crops are maintained, according to the Riverside Fire Department.
Battalion Chief Pat Hopkins said that three engine crews and a truck company were sent to the location and encountered flames raging inside the single-story house, mostly along the roof.
“The home was unoccupied and in a state of renovation,” Hopkins said. “Crews initially attempted an interior attack. However, due to deteriorating roof conditions, the decision was made to go defensive.”
Firefighters got the blaze under control an hour later, he said.
Hopkins said that the property sustained roughly $500,000 in damage.
A preliminary investigation did not reveal what caused the fire, which remains under investigation.