Twin-engine plane catches fire in Petaluma airport hangar

A dual-engine airplane caught fire Sunday evening in a hangar at the Petaluma Municipal Airport, Petaluma Fire Battalion Chief Jeff Schach said.

The fire appears to have started inside the airplane for reasons still under investigation, Schach said. A heater in the cockpit used to keep electronics warm in cold weather is being considered as the possible cause.

When firefighters arrived around 6:50 p.m. the aircraft was engulfed in flames inside the closed hangar, Schach said. The airplane contained around 70 gallons of aviation fuel which ignited, but fire crews were able to contain the flames by 7:30 p.m.

A hazardous material team will be needed clean up remaining fuel in the hangar, he said. No one was in the structure at the time of the fire and there were no injuries.

The hangar only sustained minor fire damage, but aircraft was destroyed, Schach said.

You can reach Staff Writer Nick Rahaim at 707-521-5203 or nick.rahaim@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @nrahaim.