Abstract
Fire following the April 24, 1984, Morgan Hill earthquake (M 6.2) was a primary cause of damage in the cities of Morgan Hill and San Jose, California. Delays in telephone dial tones, perceived as telephone outages, resulted in delayed reports of structural fires to fire departments. A fire at a shopping center in San Jose was the largest single loss in the earthquake, totaling approximately $1 million. Multiple non-fire specific incidents which fire departments were called upon to respond to, such as gas investigations, structural damage checks, downed power wires and medical aid, placed additional heavy demand on limited resources.
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