FIRE DAMAGES S.D. HOME WHERE SQUATTERS LIVED

Fire crews knocked down a blaze Tuesday at an abandoned home where squatters were living in Mountain View, authorities said.

The fire began around 7:45 a.m., first sparking in a shed or garage behind the home on South 45th Street between Logan Avenue and T Street, according to a statement from the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.

The flames spread to the home, where the squatters were living, but no one was injured, the Fire-Rescue Department said. Several 911 callers reported the blaze, and crews from San Diego and National City responded.

Fire Battalion Chief Chris Babler told OnScene TV that investigators detained the squatters before releasing them.

The fire caused an estimated $225,000 worth of damage to the house, according to the Fire-Rescue Department.