Gas vapor from a leaking motorcycle came into contact with a propane heater causing a garage fire to spread Tuesday. Bend Firefighters were called at 11:35am to SE Woodland and SE Centennial. Crews found a detached garage fully involved and spreading to two adjacent homes. Flames had extended into the trees; sending flames 50-75 feet in the air and a dark column of smoke up. Bend Police assisted in evacuating all occupants from the homes. It was determined that the garage belonged to a single-family dwelling and the adjacent home was a duplex. The first arriving engine used their 1,000 gpm master stream on top of the engine to quickly stop the forward spread of the wind driven fire. Crews then moved hoses and fully extinguished the fire after several more hours of work. Several spot fires were extinguished on the east side of the railroad tracks, behind the businesses along SE Logsden St. BNSF stopped rail traffic for about an hour during the fire to prevent damage to trains and keep crews safe.
The fire loss is estimated at $350,000 between the two structures. A total of nine occupants were displaced between the three homes. The Red Cross arrived to provide emergency lodging to all those displaced. Bend Fire Department was assisted by Alfalfa and Sunriver Fire Departments on scene; Redmond and Sisters Fire Departments provided coverage for the Bend area until the scene was cleared.
The fire was determined to be an accidental fire caused by gas leaking from a motorcycle in the garage during repairs. The gas vapor came into contact with a propane heater in the garage and ignited. The occupants attempted an extinguisher, but the fire spread too quickly and they evacuated, calling 911. There were many reports of explosions from the fire. These were attributed to propane tanks, ammunition, motorcycle tires and paint in the garage. It is very typical of garage fires to hear these types of pops and bangs from all the items commonly stored in garages.
Bend Fire Department reminds everyone to ensure combustibles are kept a safe distance from ignition sources. In this case it was gas vapor and a propane fired heater in the garage. By ensuring the space was well ventilated or by using an electrical heater, the fire could have been prevented. The occupants did do the right thing by having a fire extinguisher handy during the repairs, using it and getting out before their safety was jeopardized. Even though it didn’t stop the fire this time, in many cases a small fire can be stopped by the quick action of a fire extinguisher.
