Hwy 101 brush fire sparked by SJ house fires

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) -- Crews in San Jose battled two fires burning at the same time in the same area on Sunday. Officials say it started with a house fire on Snow Drive and Giraudo Drive that quickly spread to nearby homes and dry brush nearby along Highway 101.

Firefighters now have the situation under control, but a total of five homes were damaged. Three sustained major damage. Luckily, no one was injured and everyone made it out alive.

Witnesses say it began at one house and then quickly spread to the others. It ended up being three alarms.

At this point, the cause is unknown. But firefighters believe it began on a fence between two of the homes.

The Red Cross has arrived to help 12 people who are now displaced.

ABC7 News spoke with evacuee Lizette Rangel, who was at home when the fire started. She says she noticed the smoke while she was in her bedroom.

"I was like, 'dad, there's fire there's fire,'" she said. "And he starts trying to put it out but it gets too big. And then he's like, 'just grab the keys let's go.' So we moved our cars, we got our dogs. I couldn't go back inside cause once I did, things were already in my room... Mine and my brother's room were closest to the fire."

At the same time, there was a fire along southbound Highway 101. Embers from the structure fire started a brush fire just south of Hellyer Avenue. The CHP had to close one southbound lane.

Both fires are now out, but crews are expected to spend the next few hours mopping up.