. >> 24-year-old john beamer said he tried to put it out but was repelled the heat. >> a piece of a desk set was on fire. that was an inferno. >> he was running around trying to -- trying to contain it. so we persuaded him to get out becse we didn't know how things would develop. >> the family all escaped safely and their neighbors on university avenue say it was good timing becausehe fire grew so fast. >> accerated unbelievable. within two minutes it was -- it was just scary. >> the palo alto fire department arrived shortly after 7 a.m. but crews' efforts were cut short within 20 minutes. >> we were doing an interio tact and had electrical wires and had to pull the crews out. >> while much of this grand old home built in 1901 is destroyed, there's a sety lesson. the fire is believ to have started from a burning candle. >> i must have not put it out. so, you know, just remember that. >> well, the house fire has been put out but now the danger of the roof collapsing is keeping those crews from entering to recover valuables from the first flo. meanwhile the traffic is still being divtedoff

. >> 24-year-old john beamer said he tried to put it out but was repelled by the heat. >> a piece of a desk set was on fire. that was an inferno. >> he was running around trying to -- trying to contain it. so we persuaded him to get out because we didn't know how things would develop. >> the family all escaped safely and their neighbors on university avenue say it was good timing because the fire grew so fast. >> accelerated unbelievable. within two minutes it was -- it was just scary. >> the palo alto fire department arrived shortly after 7 a.m. but crews' efforts were cut short within 20 minutes. >> we were doing an interior tact and had electrical wires and had to pull the crews out. >> while much of this grand old home built in 1901 is destroyed, there's a safety lesson. the fire is believed to have started from a burning candle. >> i must have not put it out. so, you know, just remember that. >> well, the house fire has been put out but now the danger of the roof collapsing is keeping those crews from entering to recover valuables from the first floor. meanwhile the traffic is s

john beamer says he woke up this morning to heat and smoke in the room. he didn't call for help right away though because he thought he could put out the flames by himself. he also evacuated his mother, father and 90-year-old grandmother. firefighters arrived but had to pull back from the bedroom when near by power lines started arching. it took two hours to put out the fire. no other homes ended up being damaged. beamer's mother says he often lights candles in his room and might have forgotten to put one of them out. >>> some of oakland's finest were honored today for their hard work protecting the city. the awards and recognitions ceremony was held this morning in the oakland city council chambers. command staff handed out awards. chief bats spoke out on the work of the officers. calling them guardians. 17 officers were honored. among the awards presented today include the medal of valor, the medal of merit and the chief certificate of comendation. >>> jason kidd returned to his stomping grounds to speak to kids. kids say the school does not receive fun