Fire destroys Petaluma home slated for demolition

A two-story house in Petaluma that was set to be torn down caught fire early Thursday evening, displacing at least one man who had been living there.

Petaluma firefighters were dispatched to the 800 block of East Washington Street at 4:42 p.m. Thursday, the department said in a news release. When they arrived, they found flames at the front of the home. Firefighters aggressively attacked the blaze, bringing it under control within 35 minutes, the department said.

The house was boarded up and supposed to be unoccupied because it was going to be demolished, but officials later learned that at least one person had been living there, said Battalion Chief Chad Costa. When firefighters arrived, a man on the property said he had been inside when the fire started and was able to escape. He said someone might still be inside, but firefighters didn’t find anyone when they searched the home.

A woman who was working at a business across the street was transported to the hospital for smoke inhalation, Costa said. The smoke exacerbated her asthma and caused her to have difficulty breathing.

Investigators determined the fire started inside the home, and possibly spread faster than usual because of wind. The exact cause, though, is still under investigation, the department said.

The house was “red tagged” by authorities because of the damage and PG&E shutting off the gas and electricity. The total damage was estimated at $200,000, the department said.