SALINAS, Calif.
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A large fire in Salinas Sunday night may have been started by fireworks, Action News 8 reported.
The blaze was being investigated as a crime after firefighters found bottle rockets outside the home, fire officials said.
It started just at about 7 p.m. on San Marcos Drive in Salinas.
Witnesses said they heard what sounded like an explosion and then saw large flames at a home.
According to firefighters, the home belongs to George Tanimura, of Tanimura and Antle Produce.
Firefighters said Tanimura and his wife were home when the fire started. A neighbor alerted them to the blaze and they tried to put the fire out with a water hose.
But the fire quickly engulfed the roof before it jumped to a second home, completely destroying a garage and two cars in it. It then jumped to a third home, burning its roof.
The fire lasted several hours, firefighters said.
According to fire officials, the fire went to two alarms before firefighters called for aid from three different jurisdictions.
No one was hurt, officials said.
The damage was estimated at $500,000.
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