Second fire breaks out at same La Pine home

(Update: Details on second fire at home in six hours)

Investigators are looking for the cause of a second fire at a La Pine home in six hours Thursday, officials said.

I La Pine Rural Fire Protection District crews responded at 6:42 a.m. to the first reported fire in a home in the 16000 block of Heath Drive, Fire Chief Mike Supkis said. The district sent two engines, a medic unit and others totaling 13 firefighters and support personnel.

Crews arrived to find the structure 50 percent involved, Supkis said, with flames coming from two windows as the fire also threatened a neighboring home.

The two residents were asleep when they were wakened by the sound of their smoke alarm, saw smoke and went to investigate, Supkis said.

The residents opened the door to an unoccupied second bedroom, saw flames and retreated out a back door to the courtyard with their pets and called 911, reporting “they were trapped by smoke, heat and flame,” the fire chief said.

Firefighters were on scene in six minutes and were able to quickly get the residents to safety, also containing the fire within 20 minutes of the initial call, the fire chief said.

The single-story home and contents were destroyed or significantly damaged by fire, heat and smoke, but the flames did not damage structural elements protected by sheetrock, Supkis said. The neighboring home had blistered paint and cracked window glazing.

The cause of the fire was under investigation, but Supkis said it appeared the fire began in the second bedroom, where a lamp and electrical plug strip was found.

Supkis said the American Red Cross is assisting the couple, who are renters and were not insured. The Red Cross said it provided resources to help address their immediate, basic needs, such as temporary housing, food, clothing and other items.

firefighters were called back to the same home at 12:25 p.m. on another fire, this time in the garage, Supkis said.

The fire was quickly put out and contained to the garage, he said.

The residents had returned to the home to collect some belongings. The fire chief said the second blaze began in the garage, on a wheelchair and some bedding, and the residents immediately left the scene. Neighbors who spotted the fire called 911.

The second fire and its circumstances were being actively investigation by the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Fire Marshal and Oregon State Police.

There were no reported injuries from either fire.