PORT ANGELES — Quick action on a deck fire at a house in the Lower Elwha Klallam reservation west of Port Angeles prevented worse damage, said Chief Sam Phillips of Clallam County Fire District No. 2.
No one was injured in the fire discovered at 11:56 p.m. Wednesday in the 100 block of Sampson Road, Phillips said.
An alert neighbor discovered the fire on the deck of the occupied residence, immediately called 9-1-1 and ensured that the occupants left the house, the chief said in a statement.
Firefighters arrived with two engines and 10 firefighters to find that Lower Elwha Tribal Police had arrived before them, said Phillips, who credited the neighbor and law enforcement officers with keeping damage limited to a small area and preventing its spread inside the home.
“This could have had a much different outcome if it was not for the alert neighbor and quick action on behalf of tribal law enforcement officers,” Phillips said.
The fire had broken a large front window and was beginning to ignite window coverings inside when it was extinguished with a portable fire extinguisher.
Homeowners removed portions of the charred decking and used a nearby garden hose to complete extinguishment.
Firefighters estimated the damage to the home at $2,500, which was limited to the deck, wall and window area.
Fire investigators determined the cause of the fire to be spontaneous ignition of rags used to clean up recent deck-staining work.
