Petaluma families displaced by fire

A fire that appears to have started near a wall heater displaced two Petaluma families Thursday evening.

The residents of the small duplex weren’t home at the time of the fire, which was reported in the 1800 block of Petaluma Boulevard North shortly before 5 p.m., Battalion Chief Jeff Schach said.

Because it took a while for the fire to get reported, a significant amount of heat and smoke built up in the unit before firefighters could contain the flames, Schach said. No residents, neighbors or pets were injured in the fire, which caused about $60,000 in damage, mainly to one of the two units.

Schach urged people to be careful not to leave garments or flammable material anywhere near heaters, and to ensure they have working smoke detectors in their homes.

You can reach Staff Writer Kevin McCallum at 707-521-5207 or kevin.mccallum@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @srcitybeat.