Madras home, apparently vacant, burns in ‘suspicious’ fire; cause under investigation

MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) – An Oregon State Police arson investigator and the State Fire Marshal’s Office were called early Friday to a suspicious fire that destroyed an apparently vacant home on the north end of Madras, prompting evacuation of a nearby home and closure of U.S. Highway 26, officials said.

Jefferson County Fire District No. 1 crews were dispatched shortly after 1 a.m. to the structure fire on Northeast Daisy Street, Deputy Fire Chief Kasey Skaar said.

They arrived to find a home fully ablaze, with several nearby exposures, including a shop, shed, another home and several vehicles, Skaar said. Crews protected those exposures and established a water source.

Highway 26 was closed for some time to be able to use that water source, the official said, noting that ODOT and law enforcement helped with the closure.

Law enforcement helped with evacuating a nearby home until the fire was under control.

The shop and shed other home were spared, but there was damage to some vehicles, Skaar said.

Skaar said fire crews put out the blaze and performed salvage and overhaul on the structure, remaining on scene for several hours. Though believed to be vacant, crews checked the structure for any occupants.

The OSP arson investigator and State Fire Marshal’s Office were called to assist with determining the origin and cause of the fire, deemed suspicious. Jefferson County EMS, sheriff’s deputies and Pacific Power also responded to the scene.