Update: $300,000 garage-shop fire in Woodside Ranch appears to be accidental, but exact cause undetermined
Gregory Deffenbaugh
(Update: Bend Fire & Rescue update on cause, losses)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – The fire that destroyed a garage/shop in Woodside Ranch south of Bend Monday evening appears to have been accidental in nature, but the damage was too extensive to find a specific cause, a fire official said Wednesday.
Here’s Wednesday morning’s update from Deputy Fire Marshal Dan Derlacki:
“Updated information – The fire appears to be accidental in nature, but the exact cause of the fire was not able to be determined due to the extent of damage.
“The 3,000-square-foot, two-story shop was still under construction. Its walls were made of Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) that were filled with concrete and the roof had been installed. The building is valued at $300,000, with the building being a complete loss. The owner is working with his insurance company on the next steps.”
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) July 28 – First responders are on the scene of a large structure fire on Ridgeview Drive Monday evening. Multiple fire units were dispatched, and crews are actively working to contain the blaze.
Update – Bend Fire & Rescue:
Bend Fire and Rescue responded to a reported structure fire on Ridgeview Drive East in the Woodside Ranch neighborhood at 6:28 pm Monday evening. Fire crews found a large garage/shop on the back of the property fully involved.
The owners and neighbors had hoses, including a water truck from a local contractor, spraying water on the fire to keep it from spreading. The fire was difficult to extinguish due to the size and access to the building. Crews had the fire under control after about an hour.
The fire threatened the detached garage on the same property but was kept from burning. The house sustained minor damage from the heat as well as several trees were burned. The garage/shop building was under construction at the time of the fire.
The cause is still under investigation at the time of this release. The extent of the damage and value lost will be determined after further investigation. The building was not occupied at the time of the fire.
As we are in fire season, defensible space is key to helping protect your home from wildfire. But its also important for all types of fires. The detached garage that was spared had pine needles in the gutters that had started to ignite as crews arrived. They were extinguished before they could do any damage.
Keeping gutters cleared, as part of creating good defensible space around all your buildings and vehicles on your property, will help protect your home from not only wildfires.
More information on defensible space can be found at www.bendoregon.gov/own-your-zone
Video captured by KTVZ News shows firefighters rushing toward the burning structure as smoke billows into the sky. At this hour, the full extent of the damage and any possible injuries remain unknown.
Authorities have not yet released details on the cause of the fire or whether the structure was occupied at the time.
This is a developing story. We will provide updates as more information becomes available.