Fatal fire in Hazel Dell likely caused by resident who fell asleep smoking

Fire investigators say a fatal house fire Wednesday morning in Northeast Hazel Dell was likely caused by the resident falling asleep while smoking.

The resident of the home, who has not yet been identified, was the only person inside when firefighters were dispatched at 3:58 a.m. to the 7900 block of Northeast 30th Avenue.

Clark County Deputy Fire Marshal Jason Knoble said the investigation into the fire is complete.

The home is near the boundary of the Vancouver Fire Department’s service area, and a Clark County Fire District 6 engine was the first to arrive at the scene, Vancouver Fire Department spokesman Joe Spatz said. The crew spotted smoke billowing from the front of a manufactured home, he said.

Additional firefighters arrived and initiated a search of the home. There had been fire burning inside, but by the time of the search, it was only smoldering in a few places. Firefighters focused on hot spots and cleared heavy smoke, Spatz said.

Typically, interior fires break windows, allowing more oxygen to enter a building. That didn’t happen in this case, so the fire likely smothered itself, according to the fire department.

Knoble said that despite the fire not extending beyond the interior of the house, it caused about $100,000 worth of damage to the home.