Fatal House Fire Caused by Improper Disposal of Smoking Materials

By the edhat staff

The Santa Barbara County Fire Department reports its probable cause in a fatal Santa Maria house fire last month.

On October 19, county firefighters responded to the 3500 block of Rosales Court in the Tanglewood neighborhood.

Crews discovered a single story, single-family home emitting black smoke and flames. They engaged in a firefight while conducting a primary search and ventilation operation.

A second alarm was initiation and the fire was successfully knocked down in about an hour.

During the interior search operation, crews discovered one deceased individual.

This week, County Fire Captain Scott Safechuck reported that investigators determined the probable cause of the deadly fire was due to “careless use or disposal of smoking materials.”

The identity of the decedent has yet to be released.

The Santa Barbara County Fire Department also reported this week that another garage fire in a Santa Barbara neighborhood was also caused by improper disposal of smoking material. There were no injuries in this incident.

October 19, 2022: Body Found in Santa Maria House Fire