Fire stopped at Broken Top townhouse under construction

Bend firefighters stopped a blaze in a Broken Top townhouse under construction early Tuesday evening and later said the most likely cause was improper disposal of cigarettes.

A worker preparing to leave for the day spotted the fire and called emergency dispatchers shortly after 5 p.m. to the one of five units in a townhouse complex under construction by Pahlisch Homes at 19590 Painted Ridge Loop, said Bend Fire Battalion Chief Dave Howe.

Arriving crews saw light gray smoke coming from the front door and a fire that began on the second-floor exterior deck, Howe said.

Howe said the blaze broke the glass in a door and began to enter the building, but crews were were able to knock the blaze down within eight minutes of arrival.

Losses were estimated at $10,000 to the structure; the only contents were some tools that were not damaged.

Howe said the improper disposal of smoking materials is a leading cause of structure fires in Bend.

“The Bend Fire Department urges the community to be extra-careful with smoke materials as we head into the summer fire season,” Howe said, noting that more information can be found at http://www.bendoregon.gov/cigarettesafety.