Newly constructed residential building catches fire in Santa Rosa

A building nearing completion in northwest Santa Rosa caught fire early Tuesday, according to fire officials.|
ALANA MINKLER
THE PRESS DEMOCRAT

Firefighters responded early Tuesday morning to a two-alarm fire at a residential construction site in northwest Santa Rosa that caused an estimated $1.3 million in damage, according to fire officials.

Around 2:30 a.m., the Santa Rosa Fire Department was called to the scene on Tecado Drive, near Guerneville and Marlow roads, where fire crews found a large, two-story duplex engulfed by flames, Santa Rosa Fire Battalion Chief Jason Jenkins said.

Additional resources were requested to battle the blaze, according to a news release. Some residents in the immediate area chose to evacuate due to the fire, but crews kept it contained to the single building.

The building, which was under construction and nearly completed, was unoccupied at the time, Jenkins said. Crews brought the fire under control in about two hours and no injuries were reported.

The fire appeared to be human-caused, according to the news release, and originated in the area of a master bathroom and walk-in closet in a second-floor unit, then spread to an adjoining unit.

“Most of the units are completed with people residing in them, and a handful are in the final phases of construction, including the one that was destroyed,” Jenkins said.

*UPDATE: 2 Alarm Structure Fire - Guerneville Road* The fire involved a costruction site near the area Guerneville Road and Marlow Road on Tecado Drive. The fire was dispatched at 2:34 AM and brought under control at 4:10 AM. See previous post for additional information. A media release will be added to this post later today. UPDATE: The Santa Rosa Fire Department received a single 911 call of a reported fire near Guerneville Road at Marlow Road. The first arriving firefighters located a large two-story duplex under construction that was well involved in fire with flames coming up and out of the roof. A second alarm was requested, doubling the number of resources and firefighters originally assigned to the fire. Firefighters set up for an exterior fire attack using elevated ladder truck streams and large volume hoses operated by firefighters on the ground. Residents in the immediate area were advised of the fire and some chose to evacuate. The fire was held to the building of origin and brought under control in approximately two hours. Several additional fire investigators were requested to the scene to aid in the determining the origin and cause of the fire. Investigators determined that there was no power to the interior of the building and additional potential sources of ignition were ruled out. Signs of past and recent homeless activity were discovered inside several of the buildings under construction in the area. The fire appears to be human-caused and originated in the area of a joint master bathroom and walk-in closet on the second floor of 1606 Tecado Drive and spread to 1604 Tecado Drive. The construction was nearing completion and damage is estimated at $1.3 million. The quick response from the fire department and the ability to get large volumes of water directed at the structure involved prevented a significant fire from spreading to other buildings under construction or displacing nearby residents.

Posted by City of Santa Rosa Fire Department on Tuesday, December 27, 2022

Staff Writer Paulina Pineda contributed to this report. You can reach Staff Writer Alana Minkler at 707-526-8511 or alana.minkler@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @alana_minkler.

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