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UPDATE: Fire Destroys 2 Pleasant Hill Homes; Firefighter Suffers Burns

PLEASANT HILL (CBS SF) -- A firefighter was injured Monday afternoon while battling a fire that destroyed two homes in a Pleasant Hill neighborhood. Crews were searching for a resident who may have been inside, but that individual has been accounted for, authorities said.

The fire was in the area of Beth Dr. and Lorenzo Dr., off of Contra Costa Blvd., just west of the 680/24 junction, Pleasant Hill police said.

The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District said the fire had gone to a second alarm as of 3:40 p.m. Two homes were fully involved and firefighters were forced to shift to a defensive firefight, the fire district said.

Both homes were severely damaged and had significant collapses. Firefighters were able to protect a third home that was threatened, the fire district said. At least two vehicles were also destroyed in the fire.

The injured firefighter was hospitalized with burns, but his condition was not immediately disclosed.

Neighbors said they frequently see fireworks shooting off from the property and there is often a police presence.

"This house has been a issue on the block for quite some years so I don't want to sound trite about it but I was expecting something like this to happen sooner than later," said neighbor Eva Martino.

Earlier, fire crews were searching one of the two homes for possible victims. Someone living in one of the homes told fire crews they have a roommate who is unaccounted for.

"We haven't been able to confirm whether he was there or not. They're still trying to make contact with him, whether he's at another location," said Contra Costa Fire Assistant Chief Chris Bachman. "So we have firefighters in there now doing overhaul of the debris to make sure we don't have a victim."

Fire crews are also still working to put out hot spots at both homes.

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