Lake Sutherland cabin damaged, dock destroyed in fire

Published 12:01 am Wednesday, June 8, 2016

PORT ANGELES — A Lake Sutherland cabin was scorched and a dock was destroyed after high winds reignited a debris fire Tuesday, Clallam County Fire District No. 2 Chief Sam Phillips said.

No one was home when the fire approached the cabin at 880 South Shore Road.

A man who was rebuilding a dock for the California-based property owner had left for lunch after putting out a debris fire, Phillips said.

The fire was rekindled by high winds at about noon, he said.

Heat from the spreading brush fire singed a section of vinyl siding on the cabin and cracked an upstairs windowpane, Phillips said.

The fire had been extinguished by 1:30 p.m.

“Pretty good knock-down by the crews,” Phillips said.

Clallam County Fire District 2 responded with two engines, two water tenders, a command unit and 10 firefighters.

Joyce-based Clallam County Fire District No. 4 provided a fire engine, tender and crews. The state Department of Natural Resources added to the response.

“We also had some citizens that responded with bucket brigades here,” Phillips said.

“I’d really like to thank the citizens who helped out here at the scene.”

A citizen in a boat equipped with a portable pump helped keep the fire from spreading further, Phillips said.

The fire was contained to less than 1 acre, he said.

South Shore Road was closed during the response. The road had reopened by 2 p.m.

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Reporter Rob Ollikainen can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 56450, or at rollikainen@peninsuladailynews.com.