Taft – Just before 3:15 p.m. on May 23, 2012, the Kern County Fire Department received a call for a structure fire in the 400 block of San Emidio Street. About twelve firefighters responded to the incident. Upon arrival, firefighters were faced with a fire developing inside a kitchen wall and the attic of a duplex that was approximately 800 square feet in size. Just before firefighters arrived, eighteen year old Ryan Mankin pulled an extinguisher from his father’s work truck and knocked down a large portion of the fire in the kitchen. Quick thinking by Ryan and an aggressive attack by firefighters prevented the fire from spreading to the adjacent apartment. $65,000.00 worth of property was able to be saved. One person was home when the fire began but was able to make it out safely. She was displaced by the fire and will be staying with neighbors. Damages are estimated at $5,000.00 and there were no reported injuries. The cause of the fire was an unattended candle. The Kern County Fire Department would like to remind the public to never leave burning candles unattended and always extinguish them whenever you leave the room.