Flames pushed by winds destroy new home in Post

Area is outside fire district; community members bring trucks to help

POST, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A wind-whipped fire Sunday afternoon destroyed a home nearing completion in the Crook County town of Post, sheriff’s deputies said.

Deputies were called just after 2 p.m. to the reported structure fire at a home off milepost 17 of the Post-Paulina Highway, in an area about 25 miles southeast of Prineville, in an area outside of the Crook County Fire District, Sgt. Bill Elliott said.

When deputies arrived, the owner and workers at the ranch were working to get some personal belongings out of the home before the entire structure was engulfed in flames Elliott said.

Because the home is outside of the fire district, community members responded with their own fire trucks and tried to put out the blaze, to no avail due to the strong winds.

"There was no putting it out," the sergeant said.

Elliott said deputies also called for BLM firefighters to respond, in case the fire spread to adjacent wildlands.

The home was a total loss, but no injuries were reported.

An investigation found that the fire likely started in a solar power electrical box, located in the home’s garage, Elliott said.