Firefighters contain house fire in Vancouver

A fire did serious damage to a home in McLoughlin Heights Tuesday morning but was contained before it could spread to nearby homes.

No one was home during the fire and no firefighters were injured putting out the blaze.

The fire was reported just before 10 a.m. at 1011 S.E. Columbia Ridge Drive. Firefighters found heavy flames and smoke coming from the rear of the home and the attic when they arrived.

Firefighter-paramedic Kevin Stromberg of the Vancouver Fire Department said the fire was contained within 20 minutes. Four engines, two trucks and 20 firefighters responded to the fire at the one-story wood-frame home with a daylight basement.

The structure is still standing but sustained “significant damage,” Stromberg said.

A plume of smoke from the residence could be seen from as far away as state Highway 14 near downtown Vancouver, prompting a lot of interested neighbors to visit the scene.

Tracy Reed was backing out of her driveway when she heard two “bangs” coming from her neighbors’ home. When she looked over she saw the back deck was on fire.

“No one was inside, and there are no pets. Thank goodness,” Reed said.

Off-duty firefighter Joe Schrater spotted the smoke plume while riding his bike down McGillivray Boulevard on Tuesday morning. He decided to stop by to “check it out.”

“It was ripping pretty good,” he said of the fire. “I wanted to see if there was anything I could do.”

County property records indicate the home is owned by Roger and Jerry Ann Hoff. Neighbors reported the two were not home during the fire.

Late Tuesday afternoon, Stromberg said the cause remained undetermined. The damage was estimated at $150,000 to the house and $30,000 to its contents.

Paul Suarez: 360-735-4522, http://www.twitter.com/col_cops; paul.suarez@columbian.com.