A fire that burned approximately two dozen vehicles, causing $2 million in damages, appears to be related to an electrical issue involving an RV parked at American Self Storage on Skyway Drive in Santa Maria, Fire Chief Dan Orr said Tuesday.
The blaze started at approximately 7:45 p.m. Aug. 11, causing a plume of black smoke to rise above the Santa Maria Valley as several engines from the Santa Maria Fire Department arrived at 3040 Skyway Drive.
Witnesses reported hearing explosions, which fire crews indicated may have been propane tanks in the RVs.
“After completing the fire investigation, arson has been ruled out as a cause of the fire,” Orr said in a news release. “It appears to be electrically related to a recreational vehicle stored at this facility.”
More than two dozen RVs and other vehicles were destroyed or damaged by the blaze, with the loss estimated at $2 million, fire officials said.
In addition to the vehicle, the metal shelter covering the vehicle also was damaged.
Orr said the management and staff at American Self Storage was “extremely helpful” through this entire process.
Crews from Santa Barbara County Fire Department and Cal Fire/San Luis Obispo County Fire Department assisted in covering the seven additional emergency responses while the city firefighters were committed to the structure fire, Orr said.
— Noozhawk North County editor Janene Scully can be reached at jscully@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.