February 3, 2005

Early morning fire engulfs home across from Westmont High School

By Julie Davis Berry
Executive Editor

A couple awakened to a fast-moving fire which burned most of their home on Westmont Avenue in Campbell early Friday morning, Jan. 27.

Chiropractor Lisa Devlin tries to soothe her boa constrictor after it was rescued from the fire. The glass cage the snake was in cracked and the snake had a “burnt nose” according to Devlin. Photo by Julie Davis Berry

“The fire was pretty much blowing out every window of the home’’ when firefighters arrived around 6:20 a.m., Santa Clara County Fire Captain Kendall Pearson said.

“The whole house was engulfed’’ just five minutes after the residents reported the fire, Pearson said. He said firefighters had the upper hand in about 20 minutes. The couple escaped from a bedroom in what used to be a detached garage, Pearson explained, while the rest of the 1940s-vintage home was gutted.

Firefighters rescued two boa constrictors in glass cages, Pearson said. One of the cages was cracked and the snake had a “burnt” nose, according to his owner Lisa Devlin. A cat was rescued from its hiding place under the bed in the master bedroom, drawing smiles of relief from its owners. Devlin is a chiropractor with an office in Mountain View and her boyfriend Roland Kamber owns Precision Identity in Campbell.

The fire was first phoned in by the terrified resident at 6:15 Friday morning. Photo by Santa Clara County Fire Captain Kendall Pearson.

Investigators determined that the fire was started by a malfunctioning kitchen appliance. Once the appliance caught fire it appears the smoldering material burned through the counter and then dropped down into the cabinets. From there the fire built up and erupted. Extra precautions were taken because there was ammunition in the house. According to Devlin there were bullets in the home but no guns. “The guns are only used for target practice,” she said. “We’re not hunters.”

Smoke from the two-alarm fire at 1750 Westmont Ave. drifted across the street to Westmont High School, Pearson said, but students and staff were not affected by the fire. Westmont and part of Harriet Ave. were blocked off for hours which made the commute to school a little interesting, but was reopened before school was dismissed.

Damage to the home and its contents was estimated at $600,000.