Fire destroys DRW garage; crews save home

Fire destroyed a detached garage in Deschutes River Woods Sunday afternoon and began spreading to the nearby home, but Bend firefighters prevented it from causing significant damage to the home, officials said.

Crews responded just before 3 p.m. to the reported garage/shop fire within 20 feet of a home owned by Mike Smith at 59978 Hopi Road in the subdivision south of Bend, said Capt. Don Segal.

The first crews to arrive found the garage engulfed in flames, which were spreading to the northeast corner of a two-story home and into the roof vent block to the attic space, Segal said.

Firefighters stopped the fire’s progress into the home, also cooling the garage and other burning exposures, Segal said. Other crews entered the home and helped keep the fire damage to the northeast corner of the home, which sustained a small amount of smoke damage.

All of the occupants and animals got out of the home safely, Segal said, adding that the American Red Cross assisted the victims.

The cause of the fire was under investigation. Losses were estimated at $50,000 to the structure, $55,000 to the contents and $31,500 to a vehicle.

The Oregon Department of Forestry also had a crew on scene to help douse small spot fires from fire fallout debris, Segal said.