Cause of Windsor house fire unknown

Clues to what started a blaze that destroyed a two-story Windsor home were lost in the fire and investigators weren’t able to make a determination, a fire official said Tuesday.

Central Fire Acting Battalion Chief Mike Elson said investigators could tell the fire started on or below a second-floor deck.

One of the residents was a rock collector and had equipment in the area and investigators weren’t able to narrow down how it might have started, including whether an electrical issue from the equipment was involved.

“With the devastation it caused there was no way to determine exactly what it was,” said Elson, who led Friday’s fire fight.

The Vinecrest Road fire was reported at about 5:30 p.m. It burned the home, which had backed up to the southeast section of popular Foothill Regional Park. The fire also spread to two acre of grass and brush.

The subdivision fire threatened the park and nearby homes and several residents were evacuated.

The extent of the financial loss of the 3,200-square-foot home and contents remained under calculation, Elson said.

Five fire agencies responded to the blaze, including Cal Fire, which sent an air tanker.

This was the second home in the neighborhood since late June to be destroyed by fire.

The June fire was sparked by a charcoal barbecue on a deck. Flames spread to a 3,900-square-foot home, destroying the residence. That home, on Turnberry Court, abutted the northwest side of the park.