Updated at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 2, 2014
A late-morning fire caused an estimated $40,000 worth of damage to an East County home Thursday and left two people in need of emergency lodging.
The non-injury blaze began spreading through the single-story residence in the 4900 block of Williams Avenue in La Mesa shortly after 10:30 a.m., said Sonny Saghera, spokesman for Heartland Fire & Rescue.
While fighting the flames, crews rescued a dog they found hiding in the house, the spokesman said. It took them about 15 minutes to extinguish the fire.
The American Red Cross was called in to help the displaced residents arrange for interim housing.
The blaze appeared to have started outdoors and set a palm tree ablaze before spreading into the attic of the home, Saghera said. The cause was under investigation.
—City News Service