Investigators look for cause of Santa Rosa house fire that displaced 16

A fire that ruined most of a southeast Santa Rosa residence - home to ?16 people in seven families - started in a kitchen-dining-room area but what sparked it couldn’t be determined, according to a fire official investigating the blaze.

The Santa Barbara Drive fire could have been caused by electrical problems, cooking or discarded cigarettes or matches, said Cyndi Foreman, fire prevention specialist for Central Fire.

Foreman and other investigators, who were at the scene for hours Monday, narrowed the cause to those three possibilities. They didn’t believe the fire was suspicious.

Santa Barbara Drive is in a modest subdivision off Petaluma Hill Road, a few blocks from Kawana Elementary School, where officials believed three children from the home are students. The fire had great potential for spreading in the dense neighborhood but was held to the property despite several obstacles, Foreman said.

“It was a really good stop by the fire crews. There was an RV and three vehicles in front of that house. That makes it really difficult to get in and around,” she said.

Added firefighting challenges included construction not all to code, several extension cords throughout the home and access issues, such as doors nailed shut. The single-family home that started at about 900 square feet had been carved into small sections to provide space for multiple families. Additions to the patio and backyard greatly enlarged the original home.

The initial loss of the structure was estimated at $175,000 with another $50,000 estimated for the lost contents.

It has been owned since 2002 by Norma Flores, who lives at the property.

You can reach Staff Writer Randi Rossmann at 521-5412 or randi.rossmann@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter@rossmannreport.