Early notification about fire on Fifth Street prevents further fire damage

On November 18th, 2020 at 1613 hrs, Humboldt Bay Fire was dispatched to a Commercial Structure Fire at a local business on the 300 block of Fifth St. in Eureka. 

Humboldt Bay Fire responded with 3 Engines, 1 Truck and 1 Chief Officer. The first units arrived on scene and discovered a small fire inside the business above the front display window burning in the corner of the wall and ceiling in a concealed space. 

Fire crews pulled the ceiling and discovered the fire had extended into another concealed space in the parapet wall above the roof line. Fire crews removed the stucco siding from the exterior of the building and cut a hole in the roof directly above the fire area using hand tools and power saws. 

The concealed space where the fire had burned was exposed and extinguished by fire crews. Fire damage was limited to concealed space above the front display window and the parapet wall and the fire did not extend any further into the structural members of the building. 

Fire crews spent 1 ½ hours on scene to extinguish the fire and remove debris and water from inside the business after the fire was controlled. There were no civilian or Firefighter injuries and damage is estimated at $25,000. The cause of the fire was determined to be an overheated ballast on a neon “OPEN” sign displayed in the front window. 

Humboldt Bay Fire would like to remind everyone to call 911 immediately if there a signs of fire or smoke inside a building.  Early notification of Humboldt Bay Fire by the business owners in this incident allowed fire crews to quickly identify and expose the area of the fire in an older commercial building and prevent further fire damage to the building.