Fire official: Heater sparked west Petaluma blaze

A propane heater that flared up as a resident attempted to light it caused an estimated $18,000 in damage to an outbuilding on a Petaluma property.|

A portable propane heater is believed to have a sparked a Wednesday afternoon blaze in a building behind a west Petaluma home, fire officials said.

An outbuilding behind a house in the area of Vallejo Street and Marin Way was fully engulfed when Petaluma firefighters responded to a 4:15 p.m. call reporting a structure fire, Petaluma Fire Department Battalion Chief Mike Medeiros said in a press release.

The fire was “quickly” doused before it spread to two adjacent homes, where flames could have caused an estimated $1.8 million in damages, Medeiros said. Damage to the burned building and its contents was estimated at $18,000, he said.

The homeowner had attempted to light a portable propane heater when the heater flashed and caused the blaze, he said. The resident was evaluated by paramedics for minor burns on scene.

No other injures were reported, he said.

Personnel from four other fire departments also responded.

Medeiros urged residents to use caution when attempting to light propane heaters or gas appliances in areas with limited air flow.

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