Late-night fire destroys SW Bend garage, vehicles but kept from home; some neighbors evacuated, others get alerts
(Update: Adding video, neighbor's comment)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – A fire late Thursday night destroyed a southwest Bend detached garage, burned some nearby vehicles and spread to trees, also prompting the evacuation of some neighbors and alerts to others, but was kept from reaching the adjacent home, officials said.
Deschutes County 911 dispatchers began receiving calls at 10:37 p.m. reporting a structure fire at the intersection of Aspen Drive and Mahogany Street in the Romaine Village area, Deputy Fire Marshal Cindy Kettering said.
The callers said a garage in the 60900 block of Aspen Drive was fully engulfed, with flames spreading to adjacent trees and vehicles, she said.
Several Bend Fire & Rescue engine companies were sent to the scene and quickly knocked down the fire, while several neighboring homes on Aspen Drive, Mahogany Street and Arrow Wood Drive were temporarily evacuated, Kettering said.
An emergency notification was sent to all residents with 1/10 of a mile about the fire and to avoid the area.
Extensive overhaul operations were needed due to a large quantity of combustibles in the garage, she said.
The garage and adjacent vehicles were a total loss, but the home on the property sustained only some heat damage to the vinyl siding. Total losses were estimated at $120,000. Kettering said Red Cross disaster assistance was not needed, as the home remains habitable.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, she said, and more information will be released when that is completed.
Neighbors have been checking in on the affected family. One of them, Joseph Natfield, said he hopes the best for the older couple.
"I've talked to a few people who've worked in the garage there," he said. "They've got some really cool cars there, and it's just a bummer to see it go down."
Fire officials said the blaze also serves as a reminder of the importance of defensible space. They also urge everyone to consider how quickly a fire can spread between homes and trees.
