A house fire in northwest Santa Rosa jumped to three neighboring homes late Friday night, engulfing a block near Pinercrest Drive and causing an estimated $2 million in damage before crews got it under control. Two firefighters suffered minor injuries battling the blaze, which drew dozens of personnel and mutual aid from multiple agencies.
The fire was reported just after 8:15 p.m. Friday at a home in the 2000 block of Pinercrest Drive, according to a Santa Rosa Fire Department news release cited by The Press Democrat. Firefighters arrived in less than four minutes, officials said, and found the initial home already engulfed in flames with nearby houses threatened. Neighbors had called 911 after spotting the fire, and officials said those early calls helped crews respond quickly and limit how far the flames ultimately spread.
Flames Reached Three Attics Before Crews Gained Control
Despite the fast response, the fire spread to three neighboring houses and reached their attics, per the same account. Firefighters cut holes in rooftops and removed portions of ceilings to reach the hidden attic fires and vent built-up heat and smoke, a tactic that ultimately brought four homes in northwest Santa Rosa to a combined $2 million in estimated damage, authorities said.
The Press Democrat reported that fire department officials said the blaze was brought under control in about 40 minutes. Even after flames were knocked down, firefighters remained at the scene for nearly four hours extinguishing hotspots and investigating the damage, the fire department said.
Dozens of Firefighters and Several Agencies Responded
Additional firefighters were called in as the fire threatened to spread further, and the response grew to include two separate second alarms with mutual aid from the Sonoma County Fire District along Pinercrest Drive, Waltzer Road and Lapper Avenue. In total, 52 firefighters responded, with personnel also coming from the Santa Rosa Police Department, Gold Ridge Fire Department and other agencies, the report notes.
Two firefighters sustained minor injuries during the response, received hospital treatment and were released, officials said. Crews searched each of the four homes to make sure no one remained trapped inside as the fire moved between structures.
Utilities Shut Off as Red Cross and Inspectors Respond
Pacific Gas and Electric Co. crews helped shut off gas and electricity to the affected properties, while city building officials were called in to assess whether the damaged homes were safe to occupy. The American Red Cross also responded to the scene. As of Saturday, the number of residents displaced by the fire was not immediately available, and the cause of the blaze remained under investigation, the fire department said.
The Pinercrest Drive fire is the latest in a string of residential blazes to hit Santa Rosa this fall. Earlier in October, a garage fire on Parkhurst Drive displaced a family of four and caused $150,000 in damage, with officials believing it started during a grinding project at a workbench. Days before that, a condo fire displaced one person and caused another $150,000 in damage, with crews bringing those flames under control in about 20 minutes.
