NORTH HIGHLANDS, Calif. — A house fire in North Highlands has left three people without a home Friday and now the search is now on for a person of interest, according to Sacramento Metro Fire Department.
Units responded to a reported roof fire at a two story home around 11 a.m.
"So there was a lot of damage that was done, and our investigators are going to comb through the evidence to figure out exactly what happened in this case," said Fire Captain Parker Wilbourn.
Video recorded by surveillance cameras outside the home show a person riding up to the home on a bicycle. This person is now considered to be a person of interest in the investigation.
"We're looking for the community's help to identify not only that person but any additional information they may have,” said Wilbourn. “The fire appears to have started in the exterior on the same corner that this individual was roaming around. That fire got from the exterior up into the attic and burned throughout the attic. We had a significant fire in the attic when our crews arrived. They're going to need significant repairs and remodeling."
Three people were displaced in the fire and are now getting help for temporary housing from the American Red Cross.
“Imagine being pushed out of your house because of a fire or a natural disaster. It's one of the most intense, scariest moments of your life, potentially,” said spokesperson Steve Walsh. "Home fires are the number one thing that the Red Cross responds to outside of natural disasters.”
Walsh says the Red Cross has arrangements with fire departments all over the country so they’re prepared in case something like this happens and someone needs help.
Investigators are still trying to find the person of interest to talk to them and learn more.
“At this time there's nothing really relating this person to any of our previous cases, although that can't be ruled out at this point,” said Wilbourn. “We do need to get in contact with this individual and find out exactly what they were doing."
If you have any information about this incident, you can contact the fire departments Arson Tip Line at (916) 859-3775.
