House fire blamed on cigarette butts, oil
<p>Sandpoint firefighters Capt. Kevin Amorebieta and Lt. Glen Cassidy work to suppress a fire on Alder Street on Tuesday morning. (Photo by CAMERON RASMUSSON)</p>
SANDPOINT — A house fire on Alder racked up significant property damage, but it could have been much worse, according to Sandpoint fire officials.
Firefighters responded to the scene, located on Alder Street near Fifth Avenue, just after 11 a.m. Tuesday and suppressed the fire within a few minutes of work, according to Sandpoint Fire Chief Robert Tyler. They spent about an hour in the area removing additional hazards from the house. The combination of the wind, the heat and the unsafe disposal of cigarette butts all contributed to the incident, Tyler said.
“The stars really aligned on this one,” he added.
Cigarette butts disposed in a plastic coffee can were the biggest culprit in the incident, according to Tyler. The home in question was a rental, so all smoking occurred outdoors. As the coffee can filled with cigarette butts, a few that hadn’t been completely extinguished ignited the contents. When paired with the gusty weather, the fire melted a nearby plastic container of motor oil and soon spread to the house itself.
The biggest complicating factor in the fire was the motor oil, Tyler said. Once the container melted, the oil spread into the home’s flooring, taking the fire with it. As a result, firefighters had to remove a section of wall and flooring in one of the bedrooms — a job that comprised most of their time on the scene. Tyler estimates that the damage likely totals between $6,000 and $8,000 altogether. Either way, he said it’s extensive enough to make the house uninhabitable.
Even so, Tyler noted the situation could have escalated very quickly if it wasn’t reported as promptly as it was. If the cigarette can had ignited at night with no one around to notice it, the fire could have grown much stronger.
According to Tyler, the house is managed by Sandpoint Property Management. Business officials were contacted about the fire and have notified the home owner about the incident. Management company personnel are also working to find housing for the home’s tenants while they assess the damage.
The fire is a reminder for smokers to properly dispose of their cigarette butts, Tyler added. Using a metal or ceramic container filled with sand and making sure it doesn’t get too full is the best way to reduce the risk of fire.