Stove fire causes $30,000 in damage

Something left on the stove of a Roseland home early Wednesday sparked a kitchen fire and briefly tied up morning commute traffic in the area as fire engines filled the road.

Arriving Santa Rosa firefighters found the kitchen burning in the West Avenue home.

A neighbor who saw smoke coming from the home called in the fire at about 7:55 a.m.

Marita Petersen, Santa Rosa fire inspector, said it appeared someone left something on the stove with a couple of burners left on.

No one was home when firefighters arrived and the resident may have forgotten the food and headed to work, she said.

The fire was held to the kitchen. She estimated the damage at about $30,000.

Because several fire engines parked in West Avenue, the street was closed for about 20 minutes, she said.