Fire damages Occidental house

Oily materials from a staining project may have been what ignited a weekend fire that damaged part of a two-story home near Occidental, fire officials said.

People on a morning walk at about 7:45 a.m. Sunday saw smoke coming from the house on Dupont Road just east of town and went to a neighboring home to call 911, Occidental Fire Chief Ron Lunardi said.

Arriving firefighters saw fire burning underneath a deck and in a bedroom, Lunardi said. Crews contained the fire to those areas and extinguished the blaze with limited smoke damage to the rest of the house, he said.

The fire appeared to have started in a utility closet where the resident had stored paint stain, tarps and other supplies from a recent project, Lunardi said. Staining materials can spontaneously ignite and are under investigation as a potential cause of the blaze, the chief said.

Lunardi estimated the damage at $40,000 to $60,000.

Camp Meeker, Cal Fire, Graton and Forestville firefighters assisted.

You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 521-5220 or julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jjpressdem.