Fire destroys vacation rental house in Sonoma Valley

PETALUMA, Calif. -- Eight occupants escaped a fire that destroyed more than half of a three-story vacation rental house in Sonoma Valley early Sunday morning, Sonoma Valley Fire and Rescue Authority Chief Steve Akre said.

Four couples were awoken by the fire in the Diamond A residential area in the hills of western Sonoma Valley just before 1:30 a.m., according to the fire authority.

Firefighters arrived in nine minutes and controlled the fire in about an hour. Firefighters from Kenwood, Glen Ellen, Schell-Vista, Cal Fire and Petaluma provided mutual aid and most units left the scene at 7:30 a.m.

Most of the guests lost their belongings and identification in the fire. The cause and origin of the blaze are still under investigation, Akre said this morning.

The vacation rental is a total loss, fire officials said.