Six people displaced, several pets perish in two-alarm fire at southwest Redmond apartments
Barney Lerten
REDMOND, Ore. (KTVZ) — Several pets perished and six people were displaced by a two-alarm fire at a southwest Redmond apartment complex early Wednesday morning.
Redmond Fire & Rescue crews were sent around 6:40 a.m. to a fire reported in the Greystone Apartments in the 900 block of Southwest 11th Street, Fire Marshal and Public Information Officer Tom Mooney said.
Redmond Police officers were the first to arrive and found heavy flames showing from the windows of one unit, Mooney said. They quickly began evacuations of the surrounding buildings and other apartment units.
“As fire crews arrived on scene, they were met with heavy fire conditions and quickly deployed hose lines to contain the fire to the one unit,” Mooney said in a news release.
Due to the heavy flames and involvement of the building, the incident commander requested more units, bringing the assignment to a second alarm. It was determined that all residents had safely escaped the uni, but it was determined that some pets were still inside.
Mooney said, “Fire crews made an aggressive interior attack to control the fire’s spread to other parts of the building and to search for anyone one still inside the unit.”
“Even though fire crews were able to knock the fire down quickly, unfortunately two dogs and multiple reptiles, along with pet rats perished in the fire,” the fire marshal added.
Fire investigators determined the cause to be combustible material left on top of the range top, Mooney said.
A total of six people from three units were displaced due to the fire and have located other places to stay in the meantime, the fire official said.
“Redmond Fire & Rescue would like to remind you to never store combustible material on top of any type of stove, electric or gas, or use your oven as a place for storage,” Mooney said.
The fire marshal also said that “Redmond Fire & Rescue would like to thank Bend Fire & Rescue, Cloverdale RFPD, Redmond Police and Redmond Public Works for their assistance.”