Bend Firefighters responded at 12:44 am to 21910 Rickard Road. Initial reports were of a barn fire that was spreading to a nearby residence. On arrival, crews found an approximately 1,400 square foot shop/storage building fully involved in fire, with extension to nearby trees, vegetation, and the exterior of a small house nearby.
The fire was quickly knocked down, with crews taking a defensive stance on the shop and protecting nearby structures.
The shop and contents were a complete loss. The fire had extended to the exterior of the small house, and while it did not do significant damage to the interior, the structure was not livable due to the damage. The occupant declined Red Cross assistance. Total damage is estimated at $200,000.
Due to the severity of the damage to the shop building, the exact cause of the fire could not be determined. The damage estimate remains at approximately $200,000 and includes damage to the exterior of small residential structure, the shop/storage building, one small tractor, one passenger car, two pickup trucks, and two small travel trailers, along with personal belongings stored in the building.
Bend Fire & Rescue would like to remind the community that working smoke alarms save lives. In this case, only a single smoke alarm was present in the home, the other having been removed when it malfunctioned recently. Fortunately, the occupant was awakened by the fire when they heard what sounded like a large object falling outside, but a working smoke alarm is still the best way to get an early warning and have time to safely evacuate. Not sure if yours work? Check them today, and if they’re more than 10 years old, replace the entire alarm. For more information on home fire safety, visit our website at https://www.bendoregon.gov/
