CLEAR LAKE — A swift intervention by a Clear Lake police officer and the deployment of specialized fire-suppression technology are being credited with saving a multi-stall garage from total destruction.
At approximately 4:07 PM on Monday, March 16, 2026, , the Clear Lake Fire Department was dispatched to a reported structure fire in the 700 block of 12th Avenue North. Initial reports indicated a detached garage was fully engulfed, with a vehicle trapped inside.
Clear Lake Police Officer Sam Pedelty was the first to arrive on the scene. Observing active flames within the structure, Pedelty utilized Stat-X fire extinguishing canisters—specialized tools carried in city patrol vehicles for early-stage fire suppression. After partially raising the garage door, Pedelty deployed two canisters on either side of the vehicle before resealing the door to contain the agent.
The Stat-X devices, which operate via a pull-pin mechanism similar to a grenade, rapidly disperse an extinguishing aerosol designed to knock down fires in confined spaces.
“Officer Pedelty’s quick actions significantly slowed the fire’s progression,” fire officials stated, noting that the intervention provided the critical window of time needed for fire crews to arrive and finalize suppression.
The structure, a four-stall detached garage with open common rafters, was at high risk for a total loss. However, the early deployment of the canisters confined the majority of the damage to a single stall. While the vehicle inside was declared a total loss and the garage sustained moderate structural damage—with total estimates hovering around $25,000. The remaining units were successfully protected.
An investigation into the blaze determined the cause was mechanical, originating from a fuel pump issue while the owner was attempting to start the vehicle.
The Clear Lake Fire Department was assisted on the scene by the Clear Lake Police Department and the Ventura Fire Department.
(IMAGES via CLFD.)