Sean C. Morgan
Fire investigators looking into cause of blaze that gutted vacant 14th Avenue house after re-igniting.
Firefighters and police are investigating the destruction of a 14th Avenue home that burned twice early Saturday morning.
Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District responded to the first fire, located at 961 14th Ave., at 2:05 a.m., said Battalion Chief Shannon Pettner. The fire was contained in the garage, but a door was open between the garage and the main house, with a running fan charging the house with smoke.
Firefighters cut a hole in the garage door to reach the fire, contained in a pile of rags.
Firefighters ventilated the house and extinguished the fire, Pettner said. They cleared the scene at 4:30 a.m.
They had to respond again at 6:47 a.m., Pettner said. Upon returning, they found the garage and the north end of the home fully involved.
The fire damaged two neighboring houses and one vehicle, she said. The damage was mostly to siding, and the fire broke one window.
The home was unoccupied, Pettner said, but someone apparently had been inside working on it.
The property is owned by Garry F. and Melanie Lech of Victoria, B.C., Canada, according to Linn County assessor’s records.
The cause of the fire is now under investigation by the Linn-Benton Fire Investigation Team, Pettner said, and she couldn’t discuss details about it at this time.
Sweet Home Police Department Sgt. Jason Van Eck said the department has opened a case, and it is under investigation.
Mysterious fire:
Fire investigators looking into cause of blaze that gutted vacant 14th Avenue house after re-igniting