Fire heavily damages home south of Madras, closes U.S. Highway 26 for a time
Gregory Deffenbaugh
MADRAS, Ore. (KTVZ) — .A fire Sunday afternoon heavily damaged a home atop a hill off U.S. Highway 26 south of Madras, and water shuttles to fight the blaze closed the highway for a time.
Jefferson County Fire & EMS crews were dispatched after the fire was reported around 2:45 p.m. at a home in the 2500 block of Highway 26.
Fire Chief Jeff Blake told KTVZ News the 4,500-foot home was built with materials such as a tile roof and stucco, which, along with high winds led to a rapid spread of the fire.
Despite fire crews’ swift response, most of the home was destroyed, Blake said. No one was home at the time, and no injuries were reported.
Jefferson County Fire called in other fire agencies, including Redmond, Crook County, Crooked River Ranch and Cloverdale, for assistance at the scene, Blake said. They all helped with opening up the structure to get to the fire and conduct mop-up operations.
The Oregon State Fire Marshal’s Office will conduct an investigation into the cause, Blake said.
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