Structure fire erupts at north Merced home, firefighters say. Cause under investigation

A structure fire damaged a residence Thursday in Merced just southeast of Yosemite Avenue and M Street, according to the Merced Fire Department.

Firefighters responded at 10:55 a.m. Thursday to a fire at a single-story family structure in the 3500 block of Wathen Court, according to Merced City Fire Chief Derek Parker.

Parker said crews arrived to find heavy smoke being pushed by windy conditions, coming from the residence.

According to Parker, the fire was one of the smokiest he had seen in a while. Firefighters dealt with the windy conditions as they worked to locate and control the fire. “The wind made it a little bit more difficult,” Parker said.

Authorities said one fire truck, four engines and a total of about 19 fire personnel responded. Firefighters gained control of the fire after about 20 minutes

According to Parker, fire officials are still trying to determine where the fire started inside the building and assessing the extent of damage. Parker said the fire was located throughout the inside of the structure.

Parker said it is unclear if anyone was home at the time of the fire and exactly how many people the fire has displaced.

No injuries were reported and the cause remains under investigation.