Two people were killed early Sunday in a house fire in the Hessel area, between Sebastopol and Cotati, according to fire officials.
The fire, which was reported at about 4:40 a.m., broke out in an addition of a home in the 3900 block of Highway 116 South, said Battalion Chief Darrin DeCarli, with the Gold Ridge Fire Protection District.
He said it appeared the pair had been sleeping in the addition at the time the fire started. The origin of the blaze was in the front of the structure and it spread to the rear, where the two bodies were found.
Authorities are working to determine their identities.
There was one person in the main part of the home who escaped unharmed, DeCarli said.
The blaze was reported by two neighbors. The pair declined to provide their names to a Press Democrat reporter, but did add that they tried to use a garden hose to put out the flames before firefighters arrived.
DeCarli said the addition was separated from the main part of the house by a stucco wall, which is believed to have stopped the blaze from spreading.
He added that once on scene fire personnel quickly brought the fire under control.
There were no signs of arson, DeCarli said. A cause is still under investigation.
You can reach Staff Writer Madison Smalstig at madison.smalstig@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @madi.smals.
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