Fire At Winery Causes $2.5 Million In Damages

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — Rags, brushes and rollers used for wood staining are suspected of causing a fire Tuesday night at a winery near Windsor, a Sonoma County Fire District spokeswoman said. The fire was reported around 8:40 p.m. at 10810 Hillview Road, fire investigator and prevention officer Cyndi Foreman said. The site was part of the Notre Vue Estate & Winery, Foreman said.

Staining materials used Tuesday afternoon were left in open plastic buckets outside the 11,000-square-foot warehouse where the fire started, she said.

Fire and heat caused heavy damage to the tasting room area and moderate damage to the rest of the building.

"Fire damage to the building is estimated at $500,000 and up to $2 million of smoke damage to the wine barrels and bottles," Foreman said.

Flames were kept away from a storage room and office, she said.

The fire was extinguished in about 90 minutes and overhaul took three hours, according to Foreman.

Firefighters from Healdsburg, Santa Rosa and Forestville also responded to the two-alarm blaze.

— Bay City News Service