Firefighters faced some extra risks when they extinguished a house fire in Brush Prairie early Monday afternoon, a battalion captain said.
When Fire District 3 in Hockinson responded to a structure fire at a two-story home at 12302 N.E. 158th St., crews found the fire was well under way.
Damage to the 2,300 square-foot home was described as extensive, including structural collapses that made things riskier for responders, said Battalion Chief Dave O’Brien.
“The roof had collapsed into the garage,” O’Brien said. “The house was a two-story with a basement, and the laundry room floor had collapsed into the basement. That’s probably one of the most dangerous situations for us.”
If there is a fire in a basement, especially with modern construction techniques and materials, 10 minutes of flame on the trusses can make the floor unstable, O’Brien said.
“The fire involved the basement and first floor and a portion of the second floor,” he said.
The Clark County Fire Marshal’s Office has not announced a cause, O’Brien said, but investigators were looking closely at the laundry room.
Owners Mark and Rebecca Walker were not at home. Neighbors called 911 at about 12:10 p.m.
Eighteen fire personnel and seven fire apparatus from Fire District 3 responded. Personnel from Vancouver Fire Department, Clark County Fire & Rescue and American Medical Response assisted.
The Southwest Washington chapter of the American Red Cross offered assistance to the displaced family.
