Yesterday afternoon, a two-story multi-family dwelling in Santa Rosa succumbed to flames. The blaze, ignited on the 800 block of 4th Street, brought the Santa Rosa Fire Department to the scene within two minutes of the call.
The structure, heavy with fire on the first floor spreading quickly to the second, saw firefighters adopting an aggressive stance to subdue the ferocious element. Hose lines snaked through the building, aiming to tame the blaze, presenting a challenging obstacle around an exposed staircase, initially slowing the firefighters' progress.
A ladder truck's ascent to the roof played a crucial role in the operation. It checked for more hidden hotspots and confirmed the fire's absence in the roof and attic. The main fire was quickly controlled in about 20 minutes, with post-containment efforts extending for an additional hour to clear the smoke.
In the aftermath, firefighters combed through the structure, but no victims were found amidst the smoke. Large positive-pressure ventilation fans swept the remnants of the fire's breath from the building, the extensive check revealing no further reach of the disaster. The Santa Rosa Fire Department's post further conveyed that the building incurred "heavy smoke and fire damage throughout the first floor" and suffered only "minor smoke and fire damage" to the second floor. Thankfully, it appeared the residence was unoccupied then, and no residents would be displaced.
Utility support arrived in the form of Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E), which was tasked with securing the building's services and ensuring a safe discontinuation of power and gas. The cause remains a mystery, currently under the lens of the Santa Rosa Fire Department’s Fire Investigation Unit. With damages estimated at $600,000, the response included a considerable deployment of resources: "4 Engines, 2 Trucks, 2 Squads, 2 Chief Officers & 1 Fire Investigator were assigned," the Santa Rosa Fire Department noted.
