Man homeless after Rio Nido house fire

A Rio Nido man lost most of his multi-story house in the steep, wooded canyons above the Russian River on Thursday morning.

Billy Koenig was not injured in the blaze that broke out shortly before 10 a.m., but his home at the top of Canyon 6 Road was a total loss, Rio Nido Fire Capt. Ryan Lantz said.

He said firefighters arrived to find the kitchen area, on the second floor of the house, ablaze, with flames spreading to the third floor. They were able to knock down the fire before it spread to neighboring homes or vegetation in the hillside community.

However, a large amount of belongings in the home made it difficult for firefighters to get in, and the fire was so intense that firefighters were actively battling it for between two and three hours, Lantz said.

By that time, the floor between the second and third stories of the hillside home had partially collapsed, as well as the ceiling, Lantz said.

Rio Nido Roadhouse owner Brad Metzger took lunch up to a brigade of nearly two dozen firefighters from Cal Fire and the Russian River, Monte Rio and Forestville departments.

He said fire officials suggested that rain a day earlier provided significant assistance in preventing the fire’s spread.

“It was hot and fast,” Metzger said.

He said ammunition stored at the house was exploding as fire crews worked.

Crews left the fire at just after 5 p.m., Lantz said. ?Officials with the Red Cross were working to help Koenig find housing.

The cause of the fire is still unclear, though firefighters suspect it might have been electrical, Lantz said. The blaze appears to have started in the kitchen.

Staff Writer Jamie Hansen contributed to this report. You can reach Staff Writer Mary ?Callahan at 521-5249 or mary.callahan@press?democrat.com.