A fire that caused $30,000 in damage to a north Modesto home was started after a 17-year-old boy is believed to have modified and launched a legal firework in his neighborhood, police and fire officials said.
"All that from one little firework," Modesto Fire Battalion Chief Terry Inderbitzen said.
No injuries were reported.
The teenager was cited with a misdemeanor charge of suspicion of using an altered firework, said Sgt. Craig Gundlach, a Modesto police spokesman. Police did not release the boy's name because he is a minor.
Gundlach said the teenager later was released, and faces a fine of $500 to $1,000.
The fire occurred shortly before 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. The boy was with three other people in a vacant lot between duplexes before the fire started.
Gundlach said the boy modified a "Piccolo Pete," which is only supposed to whistle, and placed it inside a 20-ounce plastic soda bottle.
"Once it exploded, it flew through the air and landed on the house," Gundlach said.
Inderbitzen said the firework traveled about 50 feet from its launching area to the home, where it landed in the backyard. The home had dry bushes in the backyard and a wood shake roof.
"If it didn't have wood shakes, the roof wouldn't have caught on fire," Inderbitzen said.
Susan Kelso, 51, was alone inside her duplex home when the fire started. She said she smelled smoke immediately and thought someone was barbecuing.
"Then I heard a loud boom," she said. "I looked outside and there was smoke everywhere."
About 20 firefighters battled the blaze and had it under control in about 12 minutes, Inderbitzen said. The firefighters kept the flames from reaching the other side of the duplex, which was vacant.
