A heat gun being used by a contractor to remove paint from a window frame started a fire at a home in the 1700 block of Olive Avenue late Thursday morning.
The property owner called 9-1-1 about 11:39 a.m. to report smoke inside the structure. Responding Santa Barbara City Fire Department crews found light smoke in the first-floor living room of the large, two-story residence.
The contractor, working on a project outside the home, had removed some exterior casing from the window when the fire started, and used a garden hose to partially extinguish the flames.
Firefighters removed exterior components of the structure to gain better access, check for fire extension and to extinguish the flames. A thermal imager was used to check for heat throughout the structure after light smoke was detected in the attic space.
Fire officials said that a combination of quick thinking by the contractor and the immediate decision to notify the fire department helped prevent the small fire from causing more damage.
No injuries were reported. The fire department did not release a damage estimate.
— Noozhawk managing editor Michelle Nelson can be reached at mnelson@noozhawk.com.