House fire ‘suspicious’

The Imperial County Fire Department, aided by several other agencies on Thursday, battled a fire of “suspicious” origin at a vacant house in the 1100 Block of Seminole Road, officials said.

The initial report came from someone knocking on the door of a County Fire station located about a block south of the fire. Crews were on scene within a minute to find the single-family home fully engulfed.

Crews quickly began defensive operations and a third alarm was requested. Crews effectively saved three additional homes that surrounded the fire’s origin. There were no injuries.

In addition to responses from County Fire stations in Ocotillo, Seeley and Imperial, mutual aid was received from fire crews from the Naval Air Facility-El Centro, Centinela State Prison, El Centro, Holtville and CalFire from Jacumba.

An investigation is being conducted in coordination with the Sheriff ’s Office and the incident is being treated as suspicious. Anyone with information is asked to call the Sheriff ’s Office at (442) 265-2021.