Santa Rosa couple escapes house fire sparked by marijiuana grow lights

<p>A Santa Rosa couple awakened by a smoke detector escaped from their burning Roseland-area home early Wednesday morning after powerful lights used to grow medical marijuana overloaded the circuitry and sparked a fire, the Santa Rosa Fire Department said.</p><p>The second-floor bedroom where the plants were being grown was destroyed in the 2:38 a.m. blaze, and there was smoke damage throughout the Barnett Street duplex, Battalion Chief Mark Basque said.</p><p>But the residents got out safely and were able to alert their neighbors in the duplex, located near the Highway 101/Highway 12 interchange, he said.</p><p>Three fire engines and a ladder truck had the fire under control in 15 minutes, Basque said.</p><p>The damage was estimated at $20,000 to $25,000.</p>