Cause of Five Corners house fire remains unknown

Investigators are unable to determine what caused a shop fire Thursday in the Five Corners area that created a smoke plume that could be seen for miles.

The Vancouver Fire Department responded shortly before 3 p.m. to the 8500 block of 80th Avenue. Crews arrived to find a large shop building on fire, and the flames were also torching nearby trees, according to the fire department. Several vehicles on the property and a power pole that also caught fire made it challenging for firefighters to access the blaze.

Clark County Senior Deputy Fire Marshal Jason Knoble said it appeared the residents were operating a vehicle repair business out of the shop building.

The fire also spread to the attached house, which was damaged, the fire department said.

The shop building was destroyed in the fire, but Knoble said parts of the house might be salvageable. Knoble said crews had to use an excavator to extinguish the fire, and he has not yet estimated the extent of the damage.

One firefighter was taken to an area hospital to be evaluated; none of the residents were injured, the fire department said. The residents were displaced.

Clark County Fire District 6 and Clark-Cowlitz Fire Rescue also responded, for a total of 12 fire apparatus and 30 crew members.