Willows house fire causes $150,000 in damage

A Thanksgiving Day fire gutted a house attic, causing major roof damage, but injuring none.

Gary and Toni Wharton have a second home and large extended family locally, but Gary grew-up in the old wood frame house on the 600 block of Third Street, he said.

Gary, a retired lumber mill worker, has lived there off and on for nearly six decades, he said.

“We had a fire going in there for awhile,” Toni said. “Then we smelled smoke.”

Willows Fire Chief Wayne Peabody said the fire started in the chimney and spread to the attic, causing extensive rafter damage. Fire fighters accessed the blaze by cutting through the roof, he said.

Damage was estimated at about $150,000, according to Lance Chapman, fire department engineer.

Chapman said the damage to the roof makes the home uninhabitable.

“It’s still standing, but it’s not stable. A lot of fire went through there,” he said.

Glenn County dispatchers received multiple 911 calls just before noon Thursday about the reported chimney fire.

About a dozen Willows fire fighters responded along with sheriff’s deputies and police officers.

Wharton’s neighbors helped to keep water on the flames until the fire fighters arrived.

“I saw (Gary Wharton) outside with his thumb over his hose nozzle and so I grabbed my pressure nozzle and ran over,” said William Bettencourt, a neighbor. He said another man brought a ladder and together they tried to keep the fire at bay.

“It was pretty intense for a minute,” Bettencourt said.

Wharton said he was not sure how much damage would be covered by insurance.

Contact Rob Parsons at 934-6800 or rparsons@tcnpress.com.