Tires stolen at Ridgefield home destroyed by fire

The Clark County fire marshal continues to investigate the cause of a fatal house fire in Ridgefield, while deputies hope to identify the thief or thieves who stole tires off of vehicles on the property.

Clark County sheriff’s Sgt. Brent Waddell said in an email that someone “stole tires from the vehicles and committed auto prowls” Monday night or early Tuesday morning. The family reported the theft Tuesday. Waddell said he hopes coverage of the theft will generate some leads. There is no suspect information available.

Firefighters were dispatched shortly before 4 a.m. on Aug. 8 to a report of a fire at 29305 N.W. 41st Ave. They arrived to find a rapidly burning home, and a man who had jumped from a second-story window to escape lying on the ground. The man hurt his leg, officials said.

The man said someone else was still inside the home. Fire officials said it appeared that 23-year-old Stefany Cutler-Ffitch ran back inside to rescue dogs. Two dogs escaped the fire, but another died. Firefighters went inside the burning building but were unable to rescue Cutler-Ffitch. Her body was recovered later that day.

The medical examiner said Monday that Cutler-Ffitch died of smoke inhalation. Her death was ruled an accident.

Assistant Clark County Fire Marshal Curtis Eavenson said the investigation of the fire is ongoing. There are a number of people who still need to be contacted and interviewed, he said.

Smoke alarms were observed in the debris of the home, but none of the family members who were inside when the fire started reported hearing the alarms activate, Eavenson said.

The fire marshal did not have an estimate for when the investigation may be completed.

An online fundraising page has been set up to help the family displaced by the fire get back on their feet. According to the GoFundMe page, homeowners David and Brenda McPeake were on vacation when the fire occurred. It says Cutler-Ffitch was their niece. The page also says the dog Cutler-Ffitch died trying to save was her pug named Mario.