Bend FD: Hot ashes sparked fire that destroyed DRW home
(Update: More information from official; $100,000 in losses)
Homeowner, dog escape unhurt; 3 of 4 cats perish, firefighter rescues 4th)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A fire apparently sparked by hot wood stove ashes on a porch destroyed a home in Deschutes River Woods south of Bend early Thursday. The homeowner and his dog got out safely, but three of the home's four cats perished in the blaze. A fourth was rescued by a firefighter.
Bend Fire & Rescue crews were called around 6:45 a.m. by several people who spotted the fire at a manufactured home in the 60200 block of Cinder Butte Road, Battalion Chief Tricia Connolly said.
The homeowner also heard a noise coming from the roof-attic area and went outside to find the roof on fire, Connolly said.
Firefighters arrived to find flames coming from the roof and back of the home. They put out the blaze, which did not spread to neighbors' properties but caused the home to partially collapse.
"One of the firefighters was able to save one of the cats and (the Deschutes County Sheriff's Office) got it to the vet," Connolly said at the scene.
A water tender was on scene to assist firefighters, as hydrants were not nearby, the fire official said.
Connolly said the fire was believed to have started from wood stove ashes put on the porch, near the owner’s wood pile. The fire caught the wood pile on fire and it then extended to the home and eventually to the attic.
The homeowner believed he had put the hot ashes in a metal container, but was not sure, Connolly said.
Losses were estimated at $50,000 to the double-wide manufactured home and $25,000 worth of contents, as well as several cars worth an estimated total of $25,000, the spokeswoman said.
Connolly said there were not working smoke detectors in the home. “Good thing he was awake and heard something,” she said.
An American Red Cross disaster assistance team was called in to help the resident. Pacific Power crews also responded to the scene.
"Bend Fire and Rescue would like to remind everyone to properly dispose of hot ashes,” Connolly said. "Please keep them away from the house and combustible material. We would also like to remind the community to have working smoke detectors in the home. Working smoke detectors save lives."
