Homeowner dies in Three Rivers Recreation Area house fire

(Update: Adding video, details from sheriff's office)

Two of man's three dogs also perish in blaze

CULVER, Ore. (KTVZ) – A 55-year-old homeowner and two of his three dogs died in a fire that destroyed their home Wednesday evening in the Three Rivers Recreation Area near Culver, officials confirmed Thursday.

The fire was reported shortly before 7 p.m. Wednesday at a single-story home in the 11000 block of Southwest Meadow Lane in the gated community, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office said.

A neighbor, Eric Bramwell, said he heard the sound of ammunition, guns and propane tanks exploding.

“When I got the call, I was just trying to see if I could help out in any way,” Bramwell said Thursday. “By the time I got here, I could tell there was no hope in saving it.”

Lake Chinook Fire and Rescue responded almost immediately, officials said, but by the time they arrived, the house was engulfed and they could not save it.

Sheriff’s Sgt. Ryan Grote said deputies, the Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office and Oregon State Police investigator on Thursday found the man’s remains, believed to be the only resident of the home, and two deceased dogs. A third dog was found alive in an outbuilding Wednesday night.

Grote said the cause of the fire was not determined but was believed to be accidental, not suspicious. Neighbors said they believed it was some sort of cooking source, possibly a barbecue on the home’s deck.

Bramwell added, "Everyone I've talked to said he was a really great guy."