Fast work by county firefighters Friday afternoon saved a Yucca Valley residence; the family cat was killed. Fire Captain Donnie Viloria said firefighters responded to a residential structure fire in a residence on the 58000 block of Barron Drive in Yucca Valley at 5:45 p.m. Emergency crews arrived on scene to find light smoke visible from beneath the eaves of the structure. A nearby fire hydrant was quickly secured to support firefighting efforts. The fire was located within the interior hallway extending into the attic space. Search and rescue efforts proved no human occupants were inside; firefighters did find one deceased cat that could not be revived. Threats to adjacent properties and vegetation were quickly mitigated. No working smoke detectors were found within the home. The owner of the 1,300 square foot home had just left to run errands and returned to find the fire department working and was shocked to learn that it was in fact her own home that had burned. There were no injuries. Firefighters from Yucca Valley, Joshua Tree and Wonder Valley gained control of the fire within fifteen minutes of dispatch. Electric and gas utility companies were called to secure both gas and respective lines to the structure. Fire investigators are still determining the cause and estimate the total loss at $20,000.
