Vacant Sonoma Co. Home Sustains $150K In Damages After Early Morning Fire

PETALUMA, CA – A vacant Petaluma house, where one or more squatters were staying, sustained $150,000 in damages this morning from a fire that broke out in the garage area, according to the Petaluma Fire Department.

The fire at the home along Arlington Drive in Petaluma was reported shortly after 3 a.m., according to Jeff Schach, A-Shift Battalion Chief of the Petaluma FD.

The first units at the scene reported a fully involved garage fire extending into the attic above the residence.

A man and his dog were in the house, which had no working smoke alarms, at the time of the fire and escaped unharmed, officials said.

Schach said the individual was not authorized to be inside the home, which Schach believes is in the process of being sold. He added that it also appeared one or more people were also "squatting" in the garage area, but they were not at the scene during the fire.

Fire crews cut holes into the roof above the living space to clear smoke to improve visibility, Schach said. The residence was searched, and no other occupants were found.

The house sustained heavy smoke damage, and the cause of the blaze is under investigation. No arrest of the suspected trespasser was made. No injuries were reported.

Along with fire personnel from Petaluma, other crews assisting included Cal-Fire, Rancho Adobe and Wilmar.

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