Second major, difficult NW Bend house fire in two days causes $1.5 million in damage; firefighter injured in fall

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – A three-story home in northwest Bend, undergoing extensive renovations, suffered at least $1.5 million in damage following a difficult fire early Wednesday morning, attributed to an all-too-familiar cause: oily rags used for dyeing jobs. which were not put in a bucket of water and spontaneously combusted. A firefighter was injured in a fall and taken to hospital.

It was the second morning in a row that Bend Fire and Rescue crews responded to a large, stubborn fire that caused significant damage to a home in northwest Bend.

Wednesday's fire in the 61000 block of West Ridge Avenue occurred in a home that was vacant for renovation. Eight residents escaped Tuesday's fire that destroyed a 104-year-old home in the 1900 block of Northwest Hill Street when one woke up to the smell of smoke.

This house had also been completely renovated several times, leaving empty spaces which hampered the efforts of the firefighters. And this too had a common cause: cigarettes thrown into a combustible container on the foredeck.

Firefighters were dispatched around 4:45 a.m. Wednesday to a house fire in the 61000 block of West Ridge Avenue. Deputy Fire Commissioner Dan Derlacki said neighbors called to say the back of a house was on fire. Crews arrived and found a large three-story house, with a fire burning on all three floors, he said.

While most of the fire was stopped within a half hour, Derlacki said it took another 3 1/2 hours to completely contain the fire, which burned in the attic and many hidden spaces of the roof and walls.

The house was unoccupied as it was undergoing major renovations.

“It was an extremely difficult fire” to fight, Derlacki said, noting that the house is nearly four stories tall, which posed a challenge for Bend Fire's ladder trucks.

“We have ladders on our ladder truck that are 35-foot extension ladders,” he said, “but even with those it would have been very difficult to reach the roof line.”

The fire did not threaten any nearby structures, but its challenging nature required crews to be called from the Alfalfa, Cloverdale and Sunriver fire departments. Redmond Fire & Rescue, meanwhile, sent crews to Bend to help handle other medical calls in town.

A total of seven fire trucks, two ladder trucks, two ambulances and several command staff, a total of 40 people on scene, Derlacki said.

The house was worth approximately $2 million, with losses estimated at at least $1.5 million. Derlacki said the homeowners' and contractors' insurance companies have been contacted and will work to rebuild the home.

A Bend Fire & Rescue employee was injured when he fell inside the home during firefighting efforts. Derlacki said the employee suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was treated at St. Charles Bend and released to recover at home.

As for the cause, Derlacki said a contractor was staining areas of the second floor and forgot to add water to the five-gallon plastic bucket filled with used oily rags before leaving Tuesday.

Several neighbors reported smelling smoke in the area several hours before smoke was seen coming from the home.

“Bend Fire & Rescue reminds everyone that oily rags can start a fire if not properly disposed of,” Derlacki said in a news release.

The most common type of spontaneous combustion fire is that caused by improper removal of oil-soaked rags and stains. Spontaneous combustion of oily rags occurs when a rag or fabric is slowly heated to its ignition point through oxidation. A substance will begin to give off heat as it oxidizes.

If this heat has no way to escape, such as in a pile, the temperature will rise to a level high enough to ignite the oil and ignite the rag or fabric. The resulting fire can quickly spread to other fuels and cause significant damage to your home or property.

To properly and safely dispose of oily rags, Bend Fire & Rescue recommends the following steps:

1. Use a container with a tight-fitting lid. A metal can is best, but a plastic can or zip-top bag may work, if nothing else is available.
2. Place the soiled and used rags inside, then fill the rest with water, close the top and do not open it. This will prevent the oils from oxidizing and thus prevent the rags from heating up and igniting.
3. Contact your local waste disposal company to find out their policy on disposal of the can and its contents. Some companies will allow disposal with regular household waste.