Pair of fires hit families' homes

Two separate fires in the Yuba-Sutter area damaged homes and displaced families overnight Wednesday.

In one fire, the residents were notified of smoke by a passing police officer.

Yuba City Fire Department Battalion Chief Robert Bills said a Yuba City patrol officer passing the home in the 500 block of Cooper Avenue around 12:30 a.m. Thursday noticed the fire and smoke coming from the garage and pounded on the door to wake the family.

"The officer was just short of kicking down the door when an occupant came to answer," Bills said.

Bills said a man, woman, two children ages, 11 and 6, and two dogs safely left the home.

The fire itself was contained to the garage and the blaze was quickly put out by the fire crews, Bills said.

The second incident occurred around 6 p.m. Wednesday in West Linda with only two children home at the time of the fire. Linda Fire Chief Richard Webb said the 15-year-old daughter of the home's occupants, was watching her 6-year-old brother when she heard a popping in the back of the house.

"She thought it was her little brother," Webb said. "Until she discovered it was the laundry room on fire."

Webb said the occupants, Steve and Linda Schoemaker, had left to run some errands.

Webb said the children, who were not identified, fled the home to a neighbor's house. The neighbors, Webb said, tried to douse the flames with a garden house, but it was too much.

Webb said the home sustained losses estimated at $100,000.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Webb said the Red Cross was called to assist the family.

Contact Appeal-Democrat reporter Andrea Koskey at 749-4709 or akoskey@appealdemocrat.com