Residents, Cat Escape Early-Morning Rohnert Park House Fire

ROHNERT PARK, CA — Two people and their pet cat escaped a house fire early Tuesday morning.

The structure fire was reported around 5:30 a.m. in the 1100 block of San Antonio Drive in a neighborhood off Rohnert Park Expressway and Snyder Lane. A person called 911 and told dispatchers flames were climbing up the side of the garage of a home and into the home’s attic, according to Aaron Johnson, deputy chief of the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety.

Fire crews from the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety, Rancho Adobe Fire District and the Sonoma County Fire District began an aggressive attack on the progression of the fire, Johnson said.

The quick actions of firefighters contained the majority of the damage to the garage and attic space, and the fire was brought under control within 20 minutes.

As a result of fire, smoke and water damage, the residence was deemed uninhabitable. The two residents and their cat were not harmed and were receiving the assistance of the American Red Cross.

The cause of the fire was under investigation but preliminary findings suggested it may have started outside of the home by the garage — possibly when hot ashes were thrown into a garbage can, Johnson said.

“In light of this incident, the Department of Public Safety urges the community to exercise caution when discarding ashes,” Johnson said. “We recommend using a metal container for ash disposal and ensuring it is placed away from any combustible materials. This is the second fire within 30 days attributed to discarded hot ashes.”

Rohnert Park DPS thanked the Santa Rosa Fire Department for covering other calls in the city and thanked Sonoma Life Support for standing by at the scene in case anyone needed medical attention.