Firefighters with the Santa Barbara City and County fire department battled a structure fire in the 2600 block of Montrose Place in the Mission Canyon area of Santa Barbara County Thursday evening.
The fire broke out just after 5 p.m. in a reported single-story home. Firefighters on scene reported downed electric wires in the area. A Southern California Edison crew was called as fire crews sprayed water and foam on the house.
The resident, an elderly man who has lived there for about 40 years, was able to get out safely with the help of a neighbor, according to Santa Barbara County Fire Capt. Dave Zaniboni.
"He told the initial firefighters that he was the only one home at the time and everybody was out so that relieves the firefighters of the burden of having to do a search and rescue operation and concentrate on extinguishing the fire," Zaniboni said.