Quick response to fire at Banco de Sonoma

An after-hours fire at Banco de Sonoma was contained quickly Wednesday night, limiting damage to a bathroom area but blanketing the workspace with soot. An extensive clean-up is now underway at the Fiesta Plaza location, said Sean Cutting, president and chief executive of Sonoma Valley Bank, and the location will reopen Monday.
The fire was caused by an overheated fan, according to the Sonoma Valley Fire and Rescue report. Smoke was detected by a neighboring business. Fire fighters arrived at 8:50 p.m and broke through the bank’s storefront windows. The fire was confined to the bathroom, the report said, and smoke damage was confined to the bank. Division Chief Bob Norrbom put the damage estimate at $20,000.
There wasn’t any water damage to the bank, and no effect of any kind on other retailers in the center, he said. The fire was under control at 9:09 p.m.
“We’ve moved all the customer information, the computers and the money out,” said Cutting. “It’s all secure.”
The bank will remain closed through the weekend for clean-up. “There was a lot of smoke and soot,” Cutting said. “It leaves a residue on everything. We’re going to clean it up, repaint and re-carpet.”
Cutting said staffing at other Sonoma Valley Bank locations will be increased today and Saturday. “We will reopen on Monday.”