A fire at a Northeast Hazel Dell house was most likely caused by a carelessly discarded cigarette, according to the Clark County Fire Marshal’s Office.
Crews from Clark County Fire District 6 were called to 2408 N.E. 102nd St. at 8:15 a.m. Friday.
The resident called 911 to report that flames were shooting out of an outlet, but the fire ended up being more extensive, Battalion Chief Kristan Maurer said.
The fire was both in the kitchen of the house and on its exterior, Maurer said.
Firefighters attacked the blaze from inside and out, Maurer said, and had the flames under control within 10 minutes. Estimated fire and smoke damage to both the structure and the contents was about $18,500.
Deputy Fire Marshal Curtis Eavenson said that it appeared someone had put a cigarette into a plastic pot filled with potting soil.
“I’ve seen this fire before, all those ingredients were at the point of origin,” he said. “That potting soil is mostly bark dust, so (a cigarette) continues to smolder for hours.”
