Three engine companies – Lathrop-Manteca, Manteca City and Ripon Consolidated Fire District joined forces in combating an early 4:07 a.m. morning house fire Thursday on South Manteca Road.

Arriving first on the scene, Manteca Engine 242 and Truck 24 reportedly found heavy smoke showing and flames coming from the north side of the structure.  Residents had advised that the lone occupant was safely out of the home as Engine 242 crew took command and made entry into the structure to begin the fire attack.

The Truck 24 crew simultaneously went to the roof with ladders to perform vertical ventilation as Lathrop-Manteca firefighters arrived on the scene and took over the command with the fire being in their jurisdiction.

Lathrop-Manteca Fire had dispatched their water tanker to South Manteca Road incident and requested a similar tanker from the Ripon Fire Department.  Lathrop and Manteca firefighters joined together in several hours of salvage, overhaul and cleanup operations.

Lathrop Chief Gene Neeley said that midway into the fire fighting operation firefighters were ordered out of the structure when there was a partial roof collapse.  Neeley said the only occupant had been a young, male adult who had earlier evacuated the house. 

The Lathrop chief said the source of the fire was believed to have been electrical in nature centered in the living room area.  He added that the loss to the building was between $50,000 and $60,000, noting the structure was valued at $100,000.  There was also an estimated $10,000 in loss to the contents.