Fire Destroys Santa Clara Townhomes

Neighbors Forced to Evacuate in Santa Clara

Santa Clara fire investigators are hoping to talk to witnesses Thursday morning who might have seen someone pumping some sort of liquid onto a construction site, where a five-alarm fire broke out a few hours later.

Fire inspectors aren't yet sure if that is relevant to the the raging fire that broke out at 10 p.m. in the 1900 block of Hillebrant Place near the corner of El Camino Real and Scott Boulevard. But there are reports that someone was near there about 7 p.m. pumping some sort of liquid. Fire investigators also are looking into the possibility that these townhomes under construction had electrical power, and that might have been related in some way.

The Santa Clara County arson team was called to help because of the magnitude of the fire.

Two townhomes that were burned are a total loss. And though no one was hurt, up to 100 neighbors were evacuated from their homes as a precaution. They were expected to be let back into their homes by Thursday afternoon.

Sunder Ram was one of the evacuees.

"The intensity of the fire was just shocking," he said.

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