The cause of a duplex fire on July 20 that displaced two families in Sunland North is still unknown, report officials with Clallam County Fire District 3.
Fire crews were dispatched at 3:55 p.m. last Thursday for a structure fire at 191 Cascadia Loop, said Assistant Fire Chief Dan Orr.
Firefighters attempted to extinguish the fire within the duplex but the roof collapsed, Orr said, leading crews to enter the adjacent residence in the duplex at 201 Cascadia Loop.
“This was a stubborn fire because it spread under the raised floor,” Orr said. “Firefighters had to cut the floor and crawl underneath to extinguish the fire completely.”
Fire Chief Ben Andrews for Fire District 3 said the fire also was driven by the wind toward the neighboring residence.
“We had a lot of people working hard to prevent (201 Cascadia Loop) from burning too,” he said. “If there wasn’t a firewall in the attic, it would have been less likely we would have been able to save it.”
The couples weren’t in their homes at the time of the fire, however, Orr reported two dogs and one cat were lost in the fire.
American Red Cross of Clallam County volunteers responded to the scene but Andrews said both couples found other arrangements.
Orr said it will be a few weeks before a determination is made on what started the fire.
“It gives the appearance that it started in the attic,” he said. “We’re waiting on the insurance companies to determine things with their resources.”
Andrews said 191 Cascadia Loop was determined to be a complete loss and 201 Cascadia Loop’s roof is heavily damaged and its interior sustained heavy smoke damage.
John Lewis, board member of the Sunland Division 17 Owners Association, said the duplex is one of about 123 individual residences in Sunland North.
The neighboring residence, 201 Cascadia Loop, was a rental that was for sale at the time of the fire. No neighboring homes were reported damaged.
For the fire, Andrews said more than 30 firefighters responded to the scene and mutual aid was requested from Clallam County Fire District 2 and Port Angeles Fire Department who both sent one engine.
Clallam PUD staff also responded to disconnect electricity to the duplex.
Fire crews reported the fire extinguished at 8:30 p.m., Andrews said, but a fire watch team stayed on scene overnight.
Neighbors started a fund called “Sunland House Fire Fund” to support the families at First Federal, 333 N. Sequim Ave.
