SEQUIM — A house fire that started on a stove left the structure north of Sequim uninhabitable due to smoke damage.
Clallam County Fire District 3 personnel responded to the structure fire at 160 Haywire Lane at about 12:17 p.m. Monday, according to a press release.
Arriving crews reported smoke showing from the ridge of the roof and the eve vents.
“Crews mounted an offensive interior attack through the garage,” the press release stated.
Firefighters reported smoke, and crews found the seat of the fire — the stovetop — and extinguished the flames.
Clallam County PUD arrived and pulled the power meter. The ceiling in the kitchen was pulled down to reveal fire that had penetrated the ceiling, according to the press release.
The home is occupied by a 92-year-old man who was not home at the time and a renter who was at work at the time of the fire.
When the owner arrived, he said that he had left a potpourri pot burning on the stove and forgot to turn it off before leaving, according to the press release.
The home suffered limited structural damage but is uninhabitable because of smoke damage. Red Cross responded to the scene to assist the fire victims.
The structural loss is estimated at $30,000; the contents loss is estimated at $60,000.
