Fire Alongside Highway 17 In Los Gatos Under Investigation
LOS GATOS (CBS SF) - Two buildings were threatened by a small vegetation fire Sunday afternoon alongside state Highway 17 in Los Gatos, but ultimately spared, the Santa Clara County Fire Department said.
Not spared was the northbound trip on Highway 17 through Los Gatos, which was backed up for miles as firefighters contained the fire and conducted mop-up operations into the early evening.
The fire was first reported at 2:24 p.m. Sunday alongside Highway 17 just south of the Lark Avenue overcrossing and near Vasona Lake County Park, said fire department spokeswoman Luisa Rapport.
No firefighters were injured, and reports there was a pickup truck and its driver were either the cause of the fire or caught in the fire appear to be erroneous, Rapport said.
The right lane on northbound Highway 17 was closed at the Highway 9 interchange north to the fire site, which created a miles-long traffic backup over the summit.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, Rapport said.
© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. and Bay City News Service. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.