Early-AM fire at Bend’s Black Bear Diner causes $250,000 damage, traced to faulty gas stove safety switch

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- A fire early Thursday morning caused about $250,000 in damage to Bend's Black Bear Diner, and the cause was traced to a faulty safety switch for the natural gas stove. A passing police officer spotted flames coming from the roof and reported the blaze.

At 12:51 a.m., Bend Fire & Rescue crews were called to reports of a structure fire at the restaurant, located at the corner of Third Street and NE Olney Avenue.

Firefighters arrived to find flames reaching 15 to 20 feet above the roof, but crews extinguished the fire within minutes of arriving at the scene, officials said.

The fire was found to have started when a faulty safety switch on the stove failed to shut off the natural gas as intended. The fire spread from the stove into the wall behind it, then into the attic.

The diner sustained water and smoke damage throughout the building. Damage to the structure and contents is estimated at about $250,000.

Firefighters credited the diner’s hood suppression system with minimizing damage to the structure.

Bend Fire & Rescue inspectors had inspected the system two weeks earlier, and the system activated successfully during the fire.

A commercial kitchen hood suppression system is a specialized fire protection system designed to detect and extinguish grease, oil and open-flame fires within seconds. Businesses required to have hood suppression systems must have them inspected annually to ensure they are in working order.

Bend Fire & Rescue also thanked the Bend Police Department for its support during the call. The fire was first reported by an on-duty officer who noticed flames coming from the roof of the diner. Officers forced entry into the building and confirmed it was unoccupied before assisting incoming crews with traffic control around the scene.