Ashes from an incense burner have been identified as the accidental cause of a fire that severely damaged a single-family home at 4511 Auhay Drive on Tuesday.
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department said Wednesday that investigators have determined the ashes were disposed in a bedroom trash can with paper in it, sparking the blaze that displaced the family of five living there.
In addition, investigators said the intermittent, weak-sounding smoke detector that firefighters heard during the heat of Tuesday’s firefight was not from the burning residence but from the house next door. Officials said the neighbor’s device was picking up some of the smoke from the fire and that the damaged one-story house did not have a working smoke detector.
The fire was discovered when one of the residents walked into the back part of the house where the fire started and encountered heavy smoke and flames.
Damage to the dwelling was extensive but no estimates have been determined.