Two fires that forced a reported 18 people from their homes early Sunday appear to have started by accident and did an estimated $2 million in damage.
Firefighters responded to Sunday’s first fire around 12:30 a.m. at Pine Grove Apartments, 4119 N.E. St. Johns Road, in the Minnehaha neighborhood just north of Vancouver city limits.
Smoke and fire damaged four apartments in the two-story building, Deputy Clark County Fire Marshal Dan Young said.
“Luckily, they had fire walls to keep it from expanding even more,” he said Only the four units were affected. The Red Cross said it responded to provide lodging assistance for 10 adults, a child and several pets.
Firefighters called for a second alarm, and more than 30 firefighters responded.
Young said the investigation isn’t finished, but it appeared candles or smoking material on the deck of a second-story unit sparked the fire. Young estimated the fire did about $850,000 in damage.
A metal fire pit over a plastic-composite deck appeared to have started the second fire that morning, which heavily damaged the back side of a home south of Battle Ground.
Shortly after 3 a.m., firefighters were called to a fire at a three-story, 7,000-plus-square-foot home near Highway 503, at 12605 N.E. 184th St.
The occupants were using the pit several hours before, he said, and, after they finished, it still generated enough heat to burn the deck.
“It got into the attic and then it was off,” he said. “It’s pretty destroyed.”
Ideally, manufactured fire pits are best left on stone or dirt bases, and well away from structures, he said.
Between the home’s structure and contents, Young estimated the fire did about $1.3 million in damage. The Red Cross said the fire displaced four adults and three children.
“That was a busy night,” he said. “Pretty much back to back.”
