Bend Fire and Rescue responded to a structure fire at 65287 85th Street in the Tumalo area early Sunday. According to Bend Fire, at 12:12 pm on December 18, Bend Fire & Rescue crews were dispatched to a reported structure fire in the Tumalo area. Law enforcement was first to arrive on scene, reporting smoke from the back of the single wide manufactured home. Engine 322 was on scene within 9 minutes, but had difficulty in extinguishing the fire as it had traveled through void spaces in the 960 square foot dwelling, which was manufactured in 1968. The fire was stopped within 30 minutes, but complete extinguishment took longer as the home had a significant amount of combustible material inside. One cat was found deceased inside the home, two others are missing at this time. The Red Cross is assisting the homeowner and two other adults who lived in the home. The family did not have insurance.
Upon interviewing the homeowner, he stated that his pipes had frozen, and he was using a heat gun at the back of the house in an attempt to thaw them. Heat conducted along the metal pipe ignited combustibles inside the dwelling and the fire spread rapidly to the ceiling, through the ceiling board, and into the void space between the ceiling and the roof. The home, valued at $75,000, was a total loss. The contents, valued at $40,000, were a $25,000 loss.
The recent cold weather has led to several frozen water pipes throughout the area. end Fire & Rescue encourages the community to take steps to prevent frozen domestic and fire sprinkler lines by ensuring buildings are adequately insulated, especially attic and crawlspace areas that could have very low temperatures. Insulating crawl space vents with foam blocks and turning off water to exterior spigots can also help. If the pipes do freeze, gentle heat is best. Never use an open flame to thaw pipes. A hairdryer or portable space heater may be used, but ensure that the heater is suitable for indoor use and located well away from combustible materials. Also keep in mind that metal pipes conduct heat, so ensure that there are no combustibles on or near metal pipes. For more cold weather safety tips, visit https://www.bendoregon.gov/government/departments/fire-rescue/safety-tips-emergency-preparedness/fall-winter-safety-tips.