Scott Swanson
House burns in Cascadia
Fire destroyed a house and detatched garage in the Moose Creek area of Cascadia Friday morning. Sweet Home Fire and Ambulance District Battalion Chief Shannon Pettner said the structures, at 49021 Santiam Highway, north of the South Santiam River behind the old Triple T mill, were fully engulfed when the first units arrived at 9:53 a.m. “Since the bridge has been out so many years, we had to go up and through Triple T,” she said. According to a SHFAD report, the occupants of the house were renters who had tried to start a fire in a wood stove. The stove pipe was rusted and sparks escaped, igniting the fire, Pettner said. The occupants had to drive up the road to call 9-1-1, she said. The property is owned by Evelyn Perez, according to the report. Damage was estimated at $125,000 for the property and $50,000 for the contents of the dwelling, she said. Two engines and three tenders responded and the blaze was controlled by 10:15 a.m., Pettner said.