A fire caused an estimated $100,000 in damages Thursday morning to a commercial building but things could have been worse had the structure not been metal, according to the Santa Rosa Fire Department. The fire alarm at 1026 Petaluma Hill Road went off at 8:18 a.m., and firefighters were on scene within 4 minutes, SRFD Battalion Chief Jason Jenkins said.
Flames were showing from the roof and side of Garden Spout Hydroponics Equipment Supply Store when the first engine crew arrived. Additional firefighters and resources were requested as crew members formed their plan of attack and decided they would need to force their way into the warehouse-style business.
"Firefighters had to use metal cutting saws to enter the building by cutting its large roll-up metal doors," Jenkins said. "The building had heavy smoke throughout, with fire extending up the wall and into the roof structure."