PORT ANGELES — Three people escaped without injury when a fire sparked by a burning candle erupted in their apartment unit on Ennis Creek Road late Monday night.
The three occupants escaped before firefighters arrived, said Chief Sam Phillips of Clallam County Fire District No. 2.
The fire in Apartment 4 at 2447 E. Ennis Creek Road was reported at 11:58 p.m. to emergency dispatchers in Port Angeles by Jacob Carter, one of the residents of the involved apartment, Phillips said.
The other occupants at the time of the fire were Brandon Carter and his girlfriend, Phillips said.
Investigators determined through interviews and examination of the scene that the fire was started by an unattended candle left burning in the bedroom, the fire chief said.
Damage to the structure and contents is estimated at $60,000, he added.
Firefighters from Fire District No. 2 responded from the fire station two blocks away in the Gales Addition to find smoke showing from the rear of the apartment.
Occupants reported to firefighters they awakened to find heat and smoke filling the unit quickly.
When they attempted to enter the bedroom, which was on fire, the door was sucked closed by the flames, they said.
Firefighters arriving on the first engine were able to quell the blaze before it extended to other apartment units.
As a precaution, the other units were evacuated and checked for fire or toxic smoke.
The occupants of the apartment were temporarily housed at the local fire station until they could return to the scene, Phillips said.
With temperatures dipping to near freezing Monday night, fire officials allowed neighboring residents to re-occupy their adjoining units once it was deemed safe.
The owner of the apartment and his sister declined to comment.
Ten firefighters with one engine from Fire District No. 2 combined with three firefighters and one engine from the Port Angeles Fire Department responded to the scene.