Garden hose helps stop Sisters-area house fire

Homeowners’ quick response and firefighters’ fast actions kept a wall fire east of Sisters from extending to the rest of the home, officials said.

Sisters-Camp Sherman Rural Fire District Chief Roger Johnson said homeowners in the 16700 block of Bitterbrush Lane noticed smoke and flames in the wall near a pellet stove and called 911 around 8:15 a.m.

The homeowners used a garden hose to slow the flames’ progress until fire crews arrived, Johnson said.

Firefighters arrived to find flames and sparks in the wall and used a chainsaw to gain access to the hidden fire.

“We were fortunate someone was home and noticed the fire early,” the fire chief said.

Damage was limited to a 3-by-3-foot area where the pellet stove flue passed through the exterior wall.

The fire district sent a dozen firefighters and six vehicles. More units from Cloverdale and Black Butte Ranch also responded but were canceled before arriving.

Johnson said the fire was believed to be caused by combustive wood framing in contact with the pellet stove flue.

“We are uncertain if there was a failure in the flue piping or not,” he said.