Fire damages Atwater Library

A natural gas leak sparked a fire outside the Atwater Library on Monday, leading to damage of the building but no injuries, officials said.

Authorities received a report of a fire at 1600 Third St. about 9 a.m. Monday, said Capt. Mike Perez of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. A leak in the building’s natural gas line resulted in “flames shooting up about 10 feet in the air,” he said.

Responding firefighters found the building’s wooden shake exterior in flames, Perez said. Responders quickly contained the fire and summoned workers from PG&E, who shut off the gas line around 11 a.m.

The fire apparently caused a water line to burst, damaging carpet inside the building, Perez said. The library also sustained damage to its roof and to the front door, which crews had to force open, he said.

The value of the damage was estimated at $10,000, Perez said.

The cause of the gas leak that sparked the fire was under investigation, he said.

Crews responding to the fire included 22 firefighters, an investigator, two battalion chiefs, officials from the Atwater and Merced County departments of public works, the Atwater Police Department and PG&E, plus four engines and a ladder truck.

This story was originally published February 15, 2016 at 2:38 PM with the headline "Fire damages Atwater Library."