Fire breaks out in garage workbench and causes $50,000 in damage to Cloverdale home; residents woken up by a smoke detector

SISTERS, Ore. (KTVZ) – A fire that broke out at a garage workbench caused approximately $50,000 in damage to a Cloverdale-area home Monday morning, also briefly closing nearby U.S. Highway 20 , but residents awakened by a smoke detector escaped unscathed.

Cloverdale Rural Fire Protection District crews were alerted to the fire just after 9 a.m. when several passing motorists called Deschutes County 911 to report smoke coming from the two-story structure , located less than 100 feet from the highway, Fire Chief Thad Olsen said.

The initial information relayed to dispatchers was that someone was still in the building and trying to put out the fire, Olsen said. But everyone was out of the residence when firefighters arrived, a search confirmed.

The first crew on scene extinguished the fire within five minutes of arriving, the fire chief said, but the smoke damage resulted in an estimate of $50,000.

The homeowners reported being awakened by their smoke detector and noticing smoke, then went downstairs and found fire in the attached garage. One used a garden hose to try to put out the flames for a time, Olsen said.

Cloverdale RFPD sent two engines and a water tender, while the engine and ambulance were sent by the Sisters-Camp Sherman Fire District. Bend Fire & Rescue sent a mutual aid engine from their Tumalo station.

“We closed the highway for about 10 minutes,” Olsen said.

The cause of the fire was unknown and the Oregon State Fire Marshal's Office sent an investigator to help investigate.