A garage fire was reported at 10 p.m. Tuesday on the 300 block of 7th Avenue in Live Oak with smoke and flames coming from a water heater, according to the Central Fire Protection District.
A female resident said she entered her roommate’s room and found it full of smoke and fire, called 911 and evacuated with her dog and two roommates, the district said.
Responding firefighters were directed to the smoke-filled garage of the home that had been converted into a living space, and said the fire was in one corner and spreading to the ceiling.
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The blaze was confined to the one room and extinguished within 20 minutes and totally controlled within two hours , officials said.
Due to damaged electrical wiring and smoke damage, the home was declared uninhabitable, and the three residents and dog were relocated temporarily with assistance from the Santa Cruz Red Cross.
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One resident was thought to have suffered from smoke inhalation, but refused treatment on scene. No injuries reported.
The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental, due to combustible materials, including a bookcase, stored too close to the water heater, according to the fire department.
The Santa Cruz City Fire Department and Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office assisted.
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