Redmond fire scene still too hot to enter

Fire investigators said Wednesday a fire at a southeast Redmond wood shaving plant is still smoldering, so they haven’t been able to enter and begin their investigation.

Fire Marshal Tracie Cooper said it could be several days before they can begin their investigation into what sparked the blaze.

For much of the day Wednesday, firefighters and workers at JTS Animal Bedding at 2162 SE First Street, west of Redmond Airport, continued to mop up and put out smoldering wood chips

Tuesday night, a fast-moving fire sent thick, black smoke into the sky, which was visible from Bend. Fire crews soon called for mutual-aid support from other agencies in the area.

The first reports came in at 7:52 p.m. of the fire at JTS, located near Central Oregon Community College’s Redmond campus. The facility is owned by Pacific Investments Inc., fire officials said.

“I thought maybe one of the tanker planes that had been flying over crashed, so I was kind of interested in what exactly happened,” onlooker Cyle Barker said.

“When crews arrived on scene, we had flames shooting about the roof line,” Redmond Fire Marshal Traci Cooper said.

Cooper said arriving crews found flames above the roof line. Nearly 30 firefighters were called out and quickly laid out their hoses to stop the spread of the fire burning near the building’s exterior, which is enclosed by shipping containers.

Within minutes came reports that flames had gone through the roof and area roads were being blocked off for the firefighting efforts.

“In these types of situations, they are creating a finer material, so sometimes we are concerned with dust explosions,” said Cooper.

Redmond Fire & Rescue called back personnel, then put in a request for mutual-aid assistance from Bend, including a ladder truck, as much of the building was engulfed in flames.

“Law enforcement did put the surrounding buildings that have people in them on notice just as a head’s up, in case we needed to evacuate,” Cooper said.

No injuries were reported, Cooper said late Tuesday, and the cause of the fire is under investigation. A damage estimate also was not yet available.

Cooper told NewsChannel 21 on the scene that the company suffered another fire about seven years ago and had to add sprinklers when it rebuilt the facility. As a result, she said, firefighters believe they were able to spare the main office area.

The firm’s Website (http://www.jtsanimalbedding.com/) says they use fir, pine, cedar and custom blends to make horse, dog house, swine and other livestock bedding.

Agencies that provided mutual-aid assistance included the Bend and Crooked River Ranch fire departments, Redmond police, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies and Oregon State Police.