A woman was forced to escape her home when a fire sparked by faulty wiring erupted Monday inside the house, destroying a portion of the structure and killing her dog and bird.
A large column of smoke could be seen by firefighters responding to the 10000 block of Mull Avenue, near Tyler Street, about 5:15 p.m. and upon arrival they located a two-story home on fire, according to Riverside Fire Department Battalion Chief Tony Perna.
The home was split into several different living spaces and the main floor living space was destroyed, Perna said.
A total of 24 firefighters extinguished the flames in about 20 minutes, he said.
The woman who lives in the home escaped the flames through her bedroom window. She was treated at the scene and declined further medical attention, Perna said.
Her dog and bird died in the fire, he said.
There were multiple amounts of faulty wiring inside the home and an investigation determined a faulty plug to a window air conditioner caused the fire, which caused $400,000 in damage, Perna said.