Two structure fires damaged a manufactured home and a joint garage apartment building on Friday night and Saturday morning straining resources for Clallam County Fire District 3 prior to staff’s involvement in the Sequim Irrigation Festival’s Grand Parade, district leaders report.
Battalion Chief Elliott Jones with Clallam County Fire District 3 said fire crews first responded to a 9-1-1 call at 4:57 p.m. May 10, to the 4000 block of Sequim-Dungeness Way where firefighters responded to find a single-story manufactured home with smoke showing from its eves and roof, Jones said.
Initially, they attempted an offensive fire control operation, he said, but an exterior crew spotted a sagging roof, so firefighters transitioned to a defensive operation and withdrew from the house.
Outside, fire crews applied water to achieve knockdown, Jones said.
No one was inside the home or injured from the fire, he said, and crews were able to retrieve some personal items for the owner.
The fire district had a fire watch throughout the night and early morning; its cause remains under investigation.
May 11 fire
At 6 a.m. Saturday, May 11, firefighters responded to another structure fire on the 100 block of McComb Lane where residents noticed heavy smoke coming from a garage with an apartment above it. Jones said firefighters responded quickly, simultaneously starting fire suppression and initially searching the residences.
Teams worked to ventilate the home, which significantly improved visibility and facilitated the rapid control of the fire within 40 minutes, Jones said.
This fire is also under investigation and no one was injured in the incident.
“These back-to-back fires and additional emergencies tested the readiness and resilience of (the fire district), highlighting the community’s mix of career and volunteer response mechanisms and the critical role of its firefighters,” Jones said.
“As investigations continue, the district remains vigilant and prepared for any additional incidents, especially with the upcoming local festivities.”
May 8 fire
Firefighters responded earlier the week to a call at 1:19 a.m. Wednesday, May 8 to a reported residential structure fire at a detached shop on the 800 block of Shore Road in Port Angeles.
Battalion Chief Christ Turner reports that firefighters from Carlsborg Station 33 arrived first and began extinguishing the fire with water on their truck.
Their quick actions contained the fire to the exterior of the structure causing only minor damage in a 4 foot by 8 foot area, Turner said.
The fire’s cause remains under investigation, firefighters report.
The homeowner was alerted to the fire, Turner said, because his dog began barking and he heard the sound of arcing power lines.
Turner said the fire department suggests residents install modern smoke detectors connected between outbuildings and the home to increase early warning of remote fires such as this incident.
Clallam PUD assisted at the incident and mutual aid was requested and cancelled for Clallam Fire 2.
For more information on the fire district, visit www.ccfd3.org.
Photo courtesy Elliott Jones/ CCFD3/ Clallam County Fire District 3 firefighters fought a fire on May 10 that damaged a manufactured home.
Photos courtesy Elliott Jones/ CCFD3 Clallam County Fire District 3 firefighters fought a fire on May 10 that damaged a manufactured home.
A fire early on May 11 damaged a garage/apartment building on the 100 block of McComb Lane.
Photo courtesy Chris Turner/ CCFD3/ A fire inside a detached shop on May 8 on Shore Road was contained to a small area due to quick response by firefighters, fire officials reports.
