Fire destroys Morro Bay home, damages nearby school

Fire destroyed a Morro Bay home early Sunday morning, causing a little less than $500,000 in damage.

The fire happened about 4 a.m. in the 300 block of Orcas Street, according to the Morro Bay Fire Department.

When firefighters arrived at the scene, they found heavy flames and smoke engulfing the 1200-square-foot home, the fire department said in a news release, and 20-foot-high flames were threatening “a commercial structure to the west.”

“Heavy fuel loading and debris” both inside and outside the home, as well as intense heat coming from the structure and poor visibility, hindered firefighting efforts, the department said. Firefighters fought the fire from the outside of the home and from a nearby rooftop.

About 95 percent of the home’s contents — about $30,000 worth — were lost in the fire. There is $450,000 in property damage.

One person was inside the home at the time and was woken up by the fire. The resident, a man, was able to leave the home safely. He was evaluated at the scene and was not injured, according to the news release.

One firefighter received an arm injury while fighting the fire, the department said in a release.

The fire also caused some external damage to the nearby Central Coast Montessori school.

The cause of the blaze is under investigation.

This story was originally published January 14, 2018 at 10:12 AM with the headline "Fire destroys Morro Bay home, damages nearby school."