No Injuries, Significant Damage in San Jose 2-Alarm House Fire

SAN JOSE (CBS SF) -- Fire caused substantial damages to the top floor of a two-story Victorian house split up into apartment units, San Jose firefighters said Tuesday.

The two-alarm fire was reported at about 3:20 a.m. at 321 N. Fifth St., north of Julian Street and north of downtown.

By the time firefighters got to the house, the tenants had already escaped to safety, thanks to neighbors like Isidro Castro, who saw the smoke and flames, banged on their door and screamed.

Castro told KPIX he saw flames shooting out of a corner of the porch, on the opposite side of the wall of the burn area.

The fire was contained to one upstairs apartment and a significant part of the attic, firefighters said.

A KPIX crew noted seeing six roman candles on the sidewalk in the front of the house. Though illegal, neighbors said people were shooting them off at midnight anyway.

It's not certain if fireworks started the blaze but investigators are not ruling anything out.

"It is possible, given that it's New Year -- a lot of fireworks put out across the city. But, again, the cause is undetermined at this point," SJFD Capt. Jesse Allread told KPIX.

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