Menlo Park Firefighters say an early morning fire Christmas Eve is unlike any they'd seen before.
[Ads /]
"First time in 20 years I've come across a squirrel fire," said Fire Captain John Wurdinger, who was acting Battalion Chief Christmas Eve.
A squirrel chewed through the neutral line to a house on San Mateo Drive energizing the entire home. The surge of electricity grounded at a doorbell which is where the smoldering fire began.
Just after 6am, Menlo Park Fire District's retired assistant chief was walking his dog and noticed the fire.
"All of a sudden someone was frantically ringing the doorbell," said Emily Allen, who was visiting across the street.
Allen say the man told her to call 911.
[Ads /]
"If he hadn't been walking his dog or he hadn't been someone who notices fire it could have been very, very bad," said Allen.
"Good stop, good save," said Wurdinger.
PG&E determined it was a squirrel that caused the fire, and the fire marshal agreed.
In August of 2016, a squirrel bit into a power line which then exploded a transformer knocking out power to downtown Menlo Park.
"It is a problem around here I'm not sure how to solve it," said neighbor Laurie Chiang.
[Ads /]
The fire got into the attic. Firefighters say the damage inside the home is minimal, about 5-thousand dollars, but could be more costly once an electrician examines the damage.
"It was just bad luck on Christmas eve," said Wurdinger.
Firefighters returned to the home a second time late Christmas Eve morning to put out a hot spot.
No one was inside at the time of the fire and there were no injuries.