Firefighters snuff out barn blaze at Sonoma County Fairgrounds

An electrical panel may be to blame and fire inspectors found panels in other barns also had shorted, a Santa fire official said Tuesday.|
RANDI ROSSMANN
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Santa Rosa firefighters Tuesday morning rushed to the horse stables near the Sonoma County Fairgrounds for a report of flames in a barn and found an electrical panel apparently had sparked a fire.

It appeared water from the recent rains may have gotten into the panel, causing it to eventually catch fire, Santa Rosa fire Battalion Chief Jack Piccinini said.

It burned for a time without detection and firefighters found it had gone into siding up toward the roof and into a nearby bathroom.

Piccinini estimated the flames caused about $15,000 damage.

There are several long, red horse barns south of the fairgrounds, which are used for the annual horse races. The fire was at a barn on the north side of Aston Avenue. There were no horses in the barn.

Electrical panels in other horse barns also had shorted out and PG&E and Santa Rosa fire inspectors were investigating.

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