Petaluma Retirement Complex Fire Prompts Evacuations

PETALUMA, CA — About a dozen residents of a retirement home in Petaluma were evacuated early Saturday morning after a fire sparked inside the building, officials said. The fire caused an estimated $15,000 worth of damage.

Firefighters responded to reports of the small, smoldering fire, which was found burning in the wall and ceiling area just outside of one of the apartments, according to the Petaluma Fire Department. After residents of the affected area were ushered into the lobby, crews were able to quell the blaze within 15 minutes, officials said.

One firefighter was treated for fatigue and weakness. He was taken to a local emergency room but was released shortly after. No other injuries were reported.

The area where the fire burned inside the building was deemed uninhabitable due to smoke and structural damage, according to the Petaluma Building Department.

The cause of the fire was still under investigation.