UPPER LAKE – A cigarette is believed to be the cause of a Thursday evening fire that burned an Upper Lake duplex and left two families homeless.

The fire, which was dispatched shortly after 6:30 p.m., occurred in two attached cabins in the 9300 block of Government Street, according to Northshore Fire Protection Chief Jim Robbins.

The fire district was having a training night, with firefighters at all of the district's stations, when the call came in, according to Robbins.

That meant a lot of firefighters and equipment were available to respond to the blaze, “which really helped out,” said Robbins, who was the incident commander.

A total of five engines, a medic unit and a battalion chief, in addition to Robbins, were among the responding resources from Northshore Fire, he said.

The structure was three-quarters involved when the firefighters arrived on scene. “I have to give my firefighters credit, they did a good stop on it,” said Robbins.

In addition to Northshore Fire, Cal Fire also sent two engines and a battalion chief, said Joe Petersen of the Cal Fire Dispatch Center. Lakeport Fire also was reported to have sent resources.

Robbins said it took firefighters about 30 minutes to extinguish the blaze and about two hours of mop up.

The older cabins – which Robbins said were built in the 1940s and used by California Conservation Corps crews – had flat roofs covered later by peaked roofs, with enclosed attic space that was difficult to access.

He said firefighters had to spend time pulling down the ceiling to make sure the fire was completely out.

No one was injured but the homes were complete losses, with two families – each composed of two adults – displaced, Robbins said.

The families had places to stay but Robbins said he brought in Red Cross because the renters lost virtually everything they owned.

Robbins said the fire appeared to be accidental, and was caused when a cigarette got under the back porch and lit the blaze.

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