Attic fire causes $30,000 damage to home north of Bend

Firefighters put out a small attic fire at a home north of Bend on Sunday evening, but not before it caused an estimated $30,000 damage, officials said.

Firefighters responded at 5:25 p.m. to the fire in the home of Bill and Sue Rosen at 64760 Kelly Court, off Sylvan Loop and McGrath Road, east of Deschutes Junction, said Bend Fire Inspector Steve Stenkamp.

The residents said they had heard popping sounds from their attic near the fireplace.

The first arriving crews found a small fire in the attic space, at the chimney flue assembly, Stenkamp said. Crews were able to extinguish the fire and confine it to a small area of the attic and ceiling of the living room.

The home’s smoke alarms were located below the fire and didn’t sound until crews pulled the ceiling during efforts to put out the blaze, Stenkamp added.

The fire may have been caused by a possible malfunction of the flue or chimney, he said.

Stenkamp said Bend Fire wants to encourage everyone with a woodstove or fireplace to have the flue-chimney cleaned and inspected yearly.