Fire damages vintage car

Garage blaze may have been started by a cigarette

Fire heavily damaged a 1970s-era Chevrolet Corvette when a blaze ripped through a garage Sunday afternoon.

Capt. Chris Moen with the Vancouver Fire Department said the fire broke out at 3:54 p.m. at the home of Richard Christina, 20201 S.E. Brady Road.

No one was injured.

Vancouver and Camas fire departments responded with 20 firefighters. Vancouver’s Engine 9 arrived in just less than eight minutes and reported smoke and flames to an attached garage. The fire was under control in about 15 minutes, Moen said.

Damage was put at $100,000 to the garage, the Corvette and a late-model Lexus SUV that was also damaged.

Brenda Christina called in the fire after smelling smoke. She was the only person home and she escaped with two pets.

The Clark County Fire Marshal’s office was investigating Sunday night.

Moen said the initial findings indicate an improperly discarded cigarette may be to blame for the fire.

Moen said his department reminds smokers to use only non-combustible devices for discarding smoking materials.