Fire destroys Napa winery’s barn, burns 11 vehicles

Fire gutted a vineyard barn in southern Napa on Tuesday night, destroying 11 vehicles, Cal Fire reported.

The blaze at Hyde Vineyards on Old Sonoma Road destroyed a pickup, two cars, two tractors, one forklift and five ATVs, Cal Fire said.

“This was our workshop, and it burned to the ground,” Elizabeth Hyde said. “It’s a big loss for us, as it was used for day-to-day vineyard operations.”

A passer-by on Old Sonoma Road reported the fire at about 8:10 p.m. A total of 35 firefighters from five fire jurisdictions responded, including Cal Fire, Napa County Fire Department, Napa City, American Canyon Fire Protection District and Schell Vista Fire Protection District.

The fire was contained by about 9:45 p.m. No other structures were threatened, Cal Fire said.

The shop contained a compressor that turned on automatically, and it is possible that rats chewed through the wires and caused them to short out, Hyde said.

Larry Hyde began planting grapes in the Carneros region in 1979, and today the family farms 200 acres and makes high-end pinot noir and chardonnay.

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