PORT ANGELES — The Wednesday fire that diminished a two-story house to a pile of charred timber east of the city was likely caused by accident, fire investigators say.
Its cause is undetermined, but members of the Clallam County Fire Investigation Task Force — including Fire District No. 2 and Sheriff’s Department personnel — say nothing at the scene points to suspicious activity or foul play.
The fire likely started in the master bedroom in the house’s northwest corner and may have burned for about 10 to 30 minutes before anyone spotted it, Sheriff’s Deputy Gary Velie said.
On Thursday, investigators sifted through the destroyed Deer Run Lane house, which was still hot in places.
The house was engulfed in flames by about 2 p.m. Wednesday when firefighters arrived at the property off Deer Park Road. No one was home at the time.
A passing Qwest phone repairman grabbed a Coleman gas barbecue from the home’s deck and dragged it about 50 feet away to prevent an explosion, but nothing else was salvaged from the house.
