Santa Barbara Fire: Families Displaced, Missing Cat Found Safe After Blaze
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – An early morning fire displaced two Santa Barbara families and burned the facade of a nearby building, but a missing cat was later found safe.
The fire broke out behind two conjoined homes near the S-curve of Highway 101 at approximately 4:42 a.m.
“I woke up to honking horns, and then we saw the fire—it was pretty scary,” said Chris Escamilla, a nearby neighbor. “That tree was on fire, and we were scared it was coming over to our side.”
Photos from neighbors show flames illuminating the night sky and a tree fully engulfed.
Neighbors believe the fire was started by people experiencing homelessness behind 419 Bath St., near the former PathPoint building at 315 W. Haley St.
Harry Bruell, PathPoint President and Chief Executive Officer, confirmed Monday afternoon that the nonprofit sold the building to the County of Santa Barbara in September 2024. According to Kelsey Gerckens Buttitta, Communications Manager at the County, the building is currently undergoing renovations.1
Two homes in the complex have been red-tagged, and the families have been asked to relocate.
“They told us we just can’t stay there,” said resident Diana Castillo.
Alfredo and Maria Barajas were displaced from their home, where they had lived for over 37 years. Their eldest granddaughter, Natasha Quintero, said the fire quickly spread toward a storage shed and her grandparents' bedroom. In a FaceTime call, her grandmother tearfully said, "All of our memories are gone." Quintero has set up a GoFundMe to help her grandparents.2
In the chaos of the morning, Castillo’s cat, Leo, went missing for several hours.
“He just ran away after we were trying to escape the fire,” Castillo said, adding that Leo was found under her brother’s bed shortly before 11 a.m.
Neighbors in the area say the vacant building has had people experiencing homelessness living in it.
The backside of the building sustained fire damage, with burnt shingles visible, but the city has only yellow-tagged the structure. Burnt wood, charred clothing, and other debris are scattered behind the building and the townhomes.
News Channel has reached out to the Santa Barbara Police Department, Fire Department, and the county for more information on the incident.
