Last night in Santa Rosa, a blaze erupted in the attic of an older single-family residence on Lincoln Street, prompting a swift response from the local fire department. At approximately 11 PM, a 911 call reported smoke from a home's light fixture. Within five minutes of the distress call, firefighters were on the scene, observing moderate smoke wafting from the household's attic.
According to the City of Santa Rosa Fire Department, three engines, a ladder truck, and a Battalion Chief were dispatched to confront the inferno. Found thriving in the attic above the living and dining areas, the blaze was held at bay while crews effected aggressive salvage work to protect the resident's possessions, with heavy tarps acting as their shield.
The ladder truck team bolstered efforts to contain the fire, which cut holes for ventilation on the roof, providing an exit for the pressurized smoke. After ventilating the attic, firefighters pierced the ceiling from the inside, facilitating the complete extinguishment of the fire in about 20 minutes. The house's occupants had fortunately evacuated before the arrival of the fire department and reported no injuries.
A fire investigator from the Santa Rosa Fire Department arrived soon after to ascertain the cause of the blaze. An electrical fault within a light fixture set the stage for the attic's unintended ignition. "Based on the resident's description of the events and the damage found, the Investigator determined that the fire was accidental in nature and caused by an electrical issue with a light fixture in the ceiling", the City of Santa Rosa Fire Department detailed. The incident's signs revealed that the fire had managed to gain significant strength, burning undetected for a period before its discovery by the residents.
