House fire caused by electricity, CDF says

A fire that destroyed an Algerine-Wards Ferry Road home Thursday evening was likely caused by an electrical malfunction, according to Cal Fire officials.

The fire burned down the home of Chris and Jessica Gipson, 14800 Algerine-Wards Ferry, displacing them and two children, according to fire officials.

The damage was estimated by Cal Fire to be about $135,000 to the structure and contents, said Capt. Rommie Jones, a fire investigator.
  

The fire was reported at 6:57 p.m. Dispatchers were initially told two children were possibly inside the structure, said Dennis Townsend, fire prevention law enforcement bureau chief for the Tuolumne-Calaveras unit of Cal Fire.

He said when he arrived on the scene from Jamestown, family members were crying, saying two children might be inside.

“The structure was totally involved,” he said. “There was not a room that wasn’t on fire. All I could do to console them was to say maybe they ran away.”

Five minutes later, a neighbor drove up with stepbrothers James Gipson, 11, and Dylan Lawrence, 9, Townsend said.    

The boys told him they were playing video games when James smelled something burning, saw flames and ran to get his younger brother and himself outside.

“He got his brother safe by the gate entrance, then tried to fight the fire with a garden hose,” Townsend said.

“He immediately realized that wouldn’t work, so the boys ran to a neighbor for help.”

Other family members were nearby. But by the time they noticed the flames, the boys were gone.

Townsend said the fire was a totally accidental electrical fire.

“Those boys are two very good young men,” he added.

“I thought they did the right thing. They were well trained and kept level and cool heads.”

Fire agencies responding included Cal Fire, Columbia Air Attack Base, Tuolumne County Fire Department, Tuolumne Fire Protection District, Columbia College Fire Department and Sonora City Fire Department.