Bedroom fire causes $60K damage to SW Bend home with no smoke alarms

Passing neighbor spotted smoke; police put it out with extinguisher

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Bend police used an extinguisher to douse a fire in a guest bedroom that caused $60,000 in damage to a southwest Bend home Sunday morning, according to a fire official who noted that the home had no smoke alarms.

Bend Fire & Rescue crews responded around 10:45 a.m. to a report from a neighbor who was walking by and noticed smoke coming from the front door of a home in the 61400 block of Blakely Road, Deputy Fire Marshal Susie Maniscalco said.

Police were first to arrive and used a portable fire extinguisher to put out the blaze, Maniscalco said.

The homeowner was awake and home when the fire broke out. He said he’d heard a loud noise in the guest bedroom, opened the door and found the room full of smoke, Maniscalco said. He’d tried to put out the fire but was unsuccessful.

Fire damage was confined to the guest bedroom, but there was smoke and soot damage throughout the home; damage was estimated at $40,000 to the home and $20,000 in losses to contents.

The cause of the fire was under investigation. The homeowner was assisted by American Red Cross disaster relief.

“There were no smoke alarms in the home,” Maniscalco said in a news release. “Had this fire occurred at night, when occupants were asleep, the outcome could have been much worse.”

“Bend Fire and Rescue would like to remind citizens of the importance of smoke alarms,” the fire official continued. “Smoke alarms are a key part of a home fire escape plan. When there is a fire, smoke spreads fast.

“In this case, the door to the bedroom was closed, which prevented the spread of fire, gases and smoke. Luckily it was detected early by a neighbor walking by. Working smoke alarms give you early warning, so you can get outside quickly,” Maniscalco said.

"Sadly, there are many more homes like this one without smoke alarms," Maniscalco told NewsChannel 21. "And we even offer free alarms for those that are non-working or don’t even exist."