Officials say items in trash can likely caused Santa Rosa fire

Discarded materials in a trash can are suspected of causing a fire that burned a recreational vehicle and a two-story house in Santa Rosa early Tuesday morning, fire officials said.

The fire in the 5600 block of Evening Way in east Santa Rosa was reported around 3:50 a.m. Firefighters responded within five minutes and saw a recreational vehicle on the side of the house engulfed in flames. A female resident said she was awakened by explosions, saw an orange glow through a window and woke up the rest of the family. The occupants, an adult couple, three small children and a dog escaped before firefighters arrived.

Firefighters cut openings in the roof and removed sheetrock from the walls and ceilings of both floors to extinguish the blaze. Some valuables were saved and returned to the occupants, and the fire was declared under control by 4:40 a.m.

Structural damage is estimated at $200,000, and a neighboring home sustained heat damage. The cause of the fire appears to be accidental and related to the discarded materials in the trash can, fire officials said. The Rincon Valley Fire Protection District also responded to the fire.