Firefighters knocked down a brush fire that threatened homes on W. Chestnut and 18th Avenues around 3 p.m. Tuesday. Fire crews said thankfully a student walking home from school noticed the flames and took action.
Jorge Valesco told KIMA he and his friend saw someone throw a cigarette out of their car. "And then I remembered the hose, so I was going to go inside and grab some water and splash it on the fire, but then I remembered the hose. I turned it on, we go over, and by that time it's already up. It's hot," said Jorge, who saw the fire as he was walking home from school.
Jorge and his friend called 911 when they went to get the hose. Firefighters arrived on the scene and were able to quickly knock down the flames before the fire could spread to surrounding buildings.
Firefighters are still investigating to determine if a cigarette was the cause.
No one was injured in the fire. Crews estimate there was about $20,000 in damage. One home sustained melted awnings and a cracked window from the heat.