Response Time To Natomas Fire Delayed Due To Brownouts

NATOMAS (CBS13) - The Sacramento Fire Department says its crews were delayed in getting to a Natomas garage fire this morning because of brownouts in the area.

The fire broke out in a single-story home on Banderas Way near Northborough Drive this morning. A large plume of black smoke could be seen from Interstate 80.

The fire department says it took 11 minutes for the first crew to arrive at the scene. They say if the nearest engine had not been browned out due to budget cuts, crews could have been there in three minutes.

Rolling brownouts have kept fire engines out of commission for 24 hours at a time to save costs.

Still, fire fighters were able to quickly douse the flames and keep them from spreading and heavily damaging the rest of the home and nearby homes.

Neighbors tells CBS13 that a family with children lives in the home but no one was at home when the fire broke out.

It's unclear what sparked the fire.