Fire tears through abandoned home in Westmorland

WESTMORLAND, Calif. (KYMA) - A three-alarm fire tore through an abandoned home in Westmorland, spreading to next door properties.

The fire happened at around 3 a.m. Sunday in the area of C Street, near the Westmorland Community Presbyterian Church.

The resident in the home on the other side of the blaze was evacuated safely as the roof of her home went up in flames and collapsed.

Westmorland Fire Captain Cesar Zarate says fire crews were able to save the prayer area of the church next door, but the rest of the building was not spared, and the wind was very powerful, causing the fire to spread rapidly.

"It was a second alarm. We hit a third alarm because next door, with a resident in there actually caught on fire also. So, we had fire on all areas of the building. Everywhere we were trying. We had engines in the alley trying to stop it as much as we could, but the wind wasn't in our favor," Captain Zarate shared.

Fire crews continued working through the morning looking for hotspots.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, but the fire inspector says he has been reporting the property as a hazard for years.