Two separate car fires burned before dawn Friday in southern Santa Rosa, within minutes and blocks of each other, according to fire reports.
Central Fire officials said the coincidence of the timing and close locations were odd, but that at least one of the fires was determined to have been accidental, caused by electrical wiring.
Rincon Valley firefighters were called from their Moorland Avenue station at 2:56 a.m. to a fire on nearby Whistler Avenue, in southern Santa Rosa.
They found an abandoned car off of the roadway in a field, on fire.
Five minutes later, a driver on Highway 101 called 911 to say they could see flames coming from the back of a Santa Rosa Avenue business, which turned out to be Cream's Towing yard.
Rohnert Park firefighters were enroute to help Rincon Valley and were diverted to the avenue fire. They arrived at 3:10 a.m.
The fire was south of Todd Road and just east of the Whistler Avenue fire.
Battalion Chief Dave Cornelssen said there were difficulties in getting to the tow yard fire, as firefighters had to cut their way through three locked gates.
They found three cars on fire, parked alongside each other.
The fire started with the middle vehicle, which was destroyed, said the battalion chief.
All three vehicles had been in recent crashes and were towed to Cream's yard at the request of owners.
No other property was damaged from the fire.
Fire inspector Cyndi Foreman said surveillance tape at the towing yard showed no signs of anything suspicious and that the cause was accidental and due to wiring on the smashed middle car.
The fire was under control at 3:41 a.m. A Santa Rosa engine also helped on the effort.
The cause of the Whistler Avenue fire remained under investigation Friday.
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