Intense Fire Destroys Murrieta Estate Home

Updated at 1:18 p.m. Dec. 23; originally posted at 10:01 a.m. Dec. 23

By Patch Contributor Joe Fanaselle

An intense fire swept through a large two-story Murrieta estate home overnight, nearly destroying the home and resulting in an estimated $1 million worth of structural damages, according to the Murrieta Fire Department.

The fire in the 42000 block of Gold Cup Lane of Wynfield Estates was first reported at 12:05 a.m. Monday, according to Battalion Chief Steve Kean with the Murrieta Fire Department. Firefighters arrived a short time later and found the second floor and attic space of the nearly 5,000-square-foot home fully involved, he said.

The fire was so well established upon arrival that the 16 firefighters who responded were forced to take a defensive approach.

"We immediately went into a defensive attack," Kean said, adding that crew safety was a primary concern due to the intensity of the flames. "We couldn't commit any resources to the interior of the structure," he said.

The orange glow from the flames could be seen from as far away as Interstate 215 and Clinton Keith Road, according to one witness. The gated neighborhood dotted with large homes on several-acre parcels is located in southwestern Murrieta, near Guava Street and Washington Avenue.

It took firefighters approximately 35 minutes to knock down the flames, Kean said. He added that a full response of four engines, a ladder truck and one overhead officer responded to the incident. One engine from the Riverside County Fire Department assisted by covering Murrieta's Fire Station No. 2 during the incident, Kean said.

At least two Murrieta police officers arrived at the scene moments before firefighters and entered the structure in an attempt to rescue any potential occupants, according to one witness. They quickly backed out of the structure as the flames consumed the upper floor and were unable to determine if anyone was inside, the witness said.

Kean said it was believed that the residents of the home were out of town at the time of the fire, but that officials were still attempting to contact them.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known and Kean estimated it would be several hours before crews could investigate, due to the condition of the structure. "We can't even access the whole back corner of the structure because it's so unstable," he said.

As of 3 a.m., more than a dozen firefighters were still at the scene, dousing the structure with water in an effort to extinguish hot spots. Kean estimated that crews would remain at the scene well into the morning during the overhaul stage of the incident.

Kean said the entire structure was likely a total loss. 

No firefighters were injured in the blaze, according to Murrieta Fire Department Spokesman Matt Corelli, who said the cause of the fire was still under remained under investigation Monday afternoon. The value of the home's contents was not currently available, Corelli noted. 

—Maggie Avants contributed to this report.