Madras homeowner’s quick move credited with stopping fire

A Jefferson County fire official credited quick actions by a Madras homeowner for saving his family and mobile home when fire broke out Saturday evening.

Jefferson County Fire District No. 1 crews responded around 5:40 p.m. to a reported structure fire at the Green Spot Mobile Home Park at 1112 Southwest Highway 97, said Assistant Chief Tom Jaca.

Crews arrived to learn the fire already had put itself out, thanks to the homeowner’s quick action.

The owner said he’d smelled plastic burning, and something told him it was a problem with the dryer. When he checked the utility room, he found the dryer was not running – which was strange, as he’d just started it a short time earlier.

By then, the home had filled with smoke, so he had his three children leave, then proceeded to turn the power off at the main panel and got out himself, Jaca said.

Firefighters found the fire had started in the electrical service to the dryer. Jaca said crews found the fire source and thoroughly checked the home for any extension of the blaze.

“The electrical power was feeding the fire,” Jaca said. “So when he de-energized (it), it seemed to slow the fire.”

Three engine crews and a command vehicle with 16 personnel responded, along with two ambulance personnel from Jefferson County EMS. Fire crews were on scene for about an hour, he said.

Jaca said the mobile home “had a very old smoke alarm, which was going off or attempting alarm when I arrived.” He said fire crews put two new alarms in the home before departing.