Fire burns Santa Rosa kitchen, displaces family of four

Flames destroyed a kitchen of a northern Santa Rosa home Monday afternoon, damaging the house enough to force the family of four temporarily to other quarters.

The cooking fire broke out just before 4 p.m. at an Ursuline Drive duplex, said Rincon Valley fire Capt. Fred Leuenberger.

A woman who’d been cooking tried to put out the grease fire but couldn’t and ran outside, yelling for help. She caught the attention of a fire chief stopping off to pick up his son at nearby Cardinal Newman High School.

Right place, right time, said Geyserville Fire Chief Marshall Turbeville, who ran to the house, found flames and smoke and reported the fire. Not hearing smoke detectors, he also searched the home for anyone still inside, he said. Rincon Valley firefighters in the nearby Larkfield station heard his report on the radio and were already in the engine when dispatchers alerted them to the fire, Leuenberger said. Santa Rosa firefighters also responded.

“It was very fortunate Marshall happened to be in front of the house,” Leuenberger said.

Firefighters stopped the flames, which were spreading into the attic and the rest of the house. The kitchen was ruined and the home had smoke and heat damage. Leuenberger estimated the damage at $25,000.

The fire displaced a couple and two young girls.

The woman had attempted to put out the flames with flour - water exacerbates a grease fire. Leuenberger said the best options are to smother a small grease fire with a lid or use foam from a fire extinguisher.

You can reach Staff Writer Randi Rossmann at 707-521-5412 or randi.rossmann@pressdemocrat.com.