CLEARLAKE – A Clearlake home suffered major damage Saturday due to a structure fire.

The fire occurred at an older, stick-built residence located at 3759 Buckeye St.

Firefighters were dispatched to the scene shortly before 11 p.m.

Lake County Fire Protection District firefighters, with assistance from Cal Fire, arrived on scene within five minutes of the call to find that the home was about 60- to 75-percent involved, said Lake County Fire Protection Battalion Chief Willie Sapeta.

Sapeta said 18 firefighters, along a Lake County Fire Protection engine, a water tender, two medic units, a battalion chief and one Cal Fire engine responded.

“We had the fire controlled in about 20 minutes,” he said, adding that the fire was confined to the residence and didn't damage any other structures nearby.

The blaze was an accident, which Sapeta said was triggered by a grease fire that rapidly involved the entire kitchen.

Damage spread to about 75 percent of the residence, he said.

The home's two residents escaped uninjured with three of their cats, although Sapeta said they lost a fourth cat in the fire.

Overhaul and salvage at the site kept firefighters on scene until about 1:30 a.m. Sunday, he said.

The Red Cross arranged for temporary housing for the home's occupants because of the damage resulting from the fire, Sapeta said.

Sapeta estimated the damage to the home to be between $60,000 and $80,000.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf .