Electrical issue sparked West Hazel Dell house fire

An electrical issue sparked a fire in a century-old house last week in West Hazel Dell.

An extension cord with an adapter, which had multiple devices plugged into it, malfunctioned and ignited the fire at the home in the 5700 block of Alki Road, Clark County Deputy Fire Marshal Jason Knoble said.

The fire started in a bedroom and did not spread much beyond it, Knoble said. The room was heavily damaged, but the rest of the home mostly suffered smoke damage and is likely salvageable. The fire marshal estimated the blaze caused about $50,000 worth of damage. 

Clark County Fire District 6 crews were dispatched at 2:42 p.m. March 30 to the house for a report of a residential fire. 

The first arriving crew reported smoke was billowing from the front of the building, according to emergency radio traffic monitored at The Columbian.

Two additional engines were requested to respond to the scene. Firefighters entered the house and extinguished the blaze in about 15 minutes. 

Fire District 6 spokesman Dave Schmitke told The Columbian there was a lot of smoke but no visible flames inside the house, which was originally built in 1883, according to Clark County property records. Schmitke said the family who built the original structure still owns it.