House Fire Causes $140,000 in Damage

A fire Friday morning caused $140,000 in damage to a house and temporarily displaced the couple who live there, authorities said.

The 11:40 a.m. fire at the single-story home in the 4400 block of Concord Street damaged the kitchen, patio, family room and a bedroom, said Battalion Chief Terry McAnally of the Oxnard Fire Department.

Colleen Merrill was at work and her husband, Xavier, was at a gymnasium when the fire broke out, McAnally said. The couple were told they could not stay at the home because of the extent of damage, McAnally said.

The cause of the fire has not been determined, but McAnally said investigators were examining wiring near an outdoor hot tub and the possibility of burning embers from a fire built Thursday night in an indoor fireplace.

Damage to the home was estimated at $100,000, while damage to the contents was $40,000, McAnally said.

The fire was contained in about 20 minutes after firefighters chopped ventilation holes in the roof, which sent billows of black smoke into the air that could be seen for several miles, McAnally said.

Sixteen firefighters from four engine companies responded to the fire, McAnally said.