Fire destroys shop building off US Highway 20 east of Bend; cause under investigation

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Authorities are looking for the cause of a fire Monday morning that destroyed a shop building on property along U.S. Highway 20 about two miles east of Bend, causing about $75,000 in damage.

Bend Fire & Rescue was dispatched around 9:20 a.m. to the reported structure fire in the 23000 block of Highway 20 East, Deputy Fire Marshal Cindy Kettering said in a news release.

Initial reports were of a building on fire, with possibly multiple outbuildings ablaze as well, Kettering said.

The first crews to arrive found an approximately 1,000-square-foot shop building fully engulfed, with attached lean-tos also engulfed. 

"Fire crews initiated a defensive attack due to heavy fire conditions and were able to quickly knock down the fire before it could spread to nearby structures or trailers," Kettering said. "The shop building was not occupied at the time of the fire, and the homeowner was not displaced by the fire.  No Red Cross assistance was needed."

Bend Fire crews received mutual aid in the form of two water tenders from Alfalfa Fire and traffic control by the Oregon Department of Transportation. 

"Fire operations are prolonged due to a lack of water supply in the area, with the necessity to utilize water tenders and portable tanks," the fire official said.  

The fire is under investigation at this time, Kettering said, with losses estimated at $50,000 to the structure and $25,000 to the contents.  

"Please drive with caution if you are in the area," Kettering added, as mop-up operations continued into the afternoon.