A fire that displaced three men from a Harney Heights house was caused by a space heater.
The blaze started in a bedroom of the house, 3514 E. 14th St., and was spreading to the other parts of the house by the time firefighters arrived, which was at about 6 p.m. Tuesday.
One of the residents had washed his clothes and laid them close to a space heater and then left the house for about half an hour, Vancouver Fire Marshal Heidi Scarpelli said. The residents don’t have a dryer, she added.
When the resident returned, Scarpelli said, his room was fully in flames.
The damage from the fire and smoke was estimated at $75,000, which includes the damage to the structure and contents. The renter whose room was heavily damaged had renter’s insurance, Scarpelli said.
Volunteers with the American Red Cross provided comfort kits, and information about disaster mental health and disaster health services.
