PORT ANGELES — A home was damaged in a fire in west Port Angeles, the city fire department said.
The house at 1615 Owen Ave. was unoccupied when crews arrived shortly after 2:15 p.m. Thursday. Neighbors had reported the blaze to 9-1-1 dispatchers.
Fire crews breached the front door to visually search the front rooms for occupants, Assistant Fire Chief and Fire Marshal Mike Sanders said.
Port Angeles firefighters arrived six minutes after being dispatched and “quickly knocked down the main body of fire with and exterior deck gun attack,” Sanders said in a news release.
“When safe, firefighters advanced interior hand lines to complete extinguishment, perform a thorough search for occupants and to overhaul any remaining hazardous areas,” Sanders said.
An insurance agent was assisting the family that lived in the home.
The cause of the blaze remained under investigation.
Sanders said the fire caused “substantial damage” to the home but could have caused more damage had an interior door been left open.
“The simple act of having a closed door between the main living area and the garage/office area allowed enough time for firefighters to extinguish the fire and help minimize the damage to the household items in the closed space,” Sanders said.
“The simple action of closing your bedroom door when you sleep can have a lifesaving impact and prevent the spread of fire to other areas of your home.”
Sanders reminded the public to ensure that working smoke detectors are installed in each sleeping area and on each level of a home.
Before the fire on Owen Avenue, Port Angeles firefighters knocked down a brush fire near Peninsula College that was burning at 1:30 a.m. Thursday.
The fire was caused by a carelessly discarded cigarette, according to the fire department’s Facebook page.
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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.
