Home burns on eve of sale

<p>Fire officials continue to investigate an early morning blaze Thursday that burned a Forestville house to the ground on the eve of its sale.</p><p>The house was vacant, but there were reports that people had come to pick apples on the Ross Road property, and it was unclear who else may have been coming and going in the day before the 2:47 a.m. fire, Forestville Fire Capt. Max Ming said.</p><p>Fire officials were having difficulty contacting the owners of the house, which was expected to close escrow Friday, officially changing hands, Ming said.</p><p>The new buyer was called to the scene after a neighbor, who happens to be a volunteer firefighter, called the fire station and then 911, Ming said.</p><p>The one-story, wood-frame house was engulfed in flames and "was a goner" despite the effort of fire crews from Forestville, Graton, Guerneville and Occidental, he said.</p><p>The sellers had moved out and there was little in the way of contents beyond kitchen appliances, Ming said.</p><p>"We've got where it started," he said. "What and why and how, not yet."</p><p>-- Mary Callahan</p>