Four residents escape burning home in La Pine

Four residents of a La Pine home noticed smoke and escaped unharmed Friday morning when a fire started in their electric furnace and began to spread, causing extensive damage, officials said.

The La Pine Rural Fire District responded shortly after 8 a.m. to the reported fire at 53116 Holiday Drive, said Duty Officer Fred Franklin. The four renters, who were home at the time, noticed the smoke and all safely evacuated and called 911, Franklin said.

Crews arrived to find smoke coming from open windows and a door of the 1,800-square-foot double-wide manufactured home. Franklin said they quickly determined the fire had begun in the furnace, from an as-yet undetermined cause, and spread through ducting and was burning in the sub-floor.

A dozen firefighters called to the scene worked to extinguish the blaze with hose lines from both the exterior, through foundation vents and by breaking access holes through the masonry foundation, and from the interior, by cutting holes through the floor with chainsaws and hand tools, Franklin said.

Portions of the floor and foundation along one wall were extensively damaged, Franklin said, but smoke and fire damage to the home and contents were limited.

The American Red Cross responded to assist the home’s occupants, Franklin said, adding that the building is insured.