The unit where the fire started has about $150,000 in damage, fire officials estimate.
A fire tore through one unit of a Santa Rosa duplex Sunday afternoon, killing one dog and leaving a family with nothing, officials said.
Flames broke out in the kitchen of the home on Cordelia Drive around 2:30 p.m. and spread fast. By the time firefighters arrived, fire was pouring from the front and side of the building, Battalion Chief Jason Jenkins said.
The family inside got out safely and managed to rescue six dogs. Firefighters later found a small dog unresponsive inside and tried to revive it, but the pet didn’t survive. No one else was hurt.
It took crews about 20 minutes to put out the flames. They stayed another two hours to handle flare-ups and clear debris.
Everything inside was destroyed, and the home was left unlivable. The damage was estimated at $150,000.
The neighboring unit had minor smoke damage but remained safe to live in.
Fire officials said the fire started accidentally in the kitchen and are continuing their investigation.
The family’s friends and neighbors have stepped up to help. A GoFundMe had raised more than $3,000 as of Tuesday afternoon.
“While we are grateful that (the mother) and her kids made it out safely, they tragically lost their beloved dog and every single possession they owned,” the fundraiser states. “She is an incredibly strong and resilient mother, but she can’t do this alone. Every donation, no matter how small, will help her find stability, replace essentials, and provide for her children.”
The fundraiser organizer said the fire started while one of the children was cooking.
You can reach Staff Writer Madison Smalstig at madison.smalstig@pressdemocrat.com. On X (Twitter) @madi.smals.
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