A three-alarm fire at a three-story Santa Rosa condo complex began when a woman left bacon to cook in her microwave while she went to the store, fire officials said.

The fire began around 5:30 p.m. Saturday at a three-story condominium complex in the 1300 block of Townview Avenue.

Rhonda Randall left bacon cooking in her bottom-floor condo while she went to the local Radio Shack, Battalion Chief Jack Piccanini said.

He said when she returned home, flames surrounded the microwave. She tried to take the bacon out and fight the fire herself before calling 911, Piccanini said.

Fire officials said dispatchers received reports of the fire at approximately 5:30 p.m. Crews upgraded the blaze to a second-alarm when they arrived on the scene and upgraded it again to a third alarm seven minutes later.

Fire officials said crews had a difficult time putting the fire out because of a broken fire hydrant. Crews had the fire contained after an hour and remained at the complex until around 9 p.m.

Firefighters rescued two people from the balconies of second-story condos, because the hallway was filled with smoke and flames and they were unable to flee, Piccanini said. Randall and one other woman were treated for smoke inhalation.

Randall’s two cats and her dog perished in the flames.

The complex suffered an estimated $500,000 in damage, Piccanini said. Randall’s unit was completely destroyed, and two others suffered significant smoke and heat damage

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