Fire destroys 2 houses, kills 2 dogs on South Shore

By Kathryn Reed

Two dogs are dead and the residents of two South Shore houses have been displaced after a fire raced through both structures Monday night.

Hot ashes left in a trash can on wood deck smoldered before erupting into flames, engulfing the first house and spreading to the one next door.

Firefighters from Lake Valley on Dec. 27 help residents of a burned out house search for possessions. Photo/Provided

“This is the third structure fire we’ve responded to because of (hot ashes) in the last couple weeks,” Leona Allen, spokeswoman with Lake Valley fire, told Lake Tahoe News.

Lake Valley and South Lake Tahoe firefighters responded Dec. 26 at 8:30pm to the 900 block of Onontioga Street, which is off Pioneer Trail.

A dollar amount has not been put on the loss. No people were injured. The dogs who were killed resided in the house where the fire started.

The fire spread a bit into the adjacent forest as well.

“The safety message is it has to be an approved container with a lid and put on a non- combustible surface,” Allen said of where to place hot ash from fireplaces or wood stoves.